


I May Be Small

by rikuai12



Category: One Piece
Genre: Adorable Monkey D. Luffy, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Attempted Kidnapping, Blood and Violence, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Cultural Differences, Curses, Dark Magic, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gang Violence, Humor, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Implied/Referenced Torture, Kidnapping, M/M, Magic, Mermaids, Merman Luffy, One-Sided Teach/Ace, Possessive Behavior, Royalty, Teach is a CREEP
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-09
Updated: 2021-01-13
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:20:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 20
Words: 78,620
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24616714
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rikuai12/pseuds/rikuai12
Summary: When walking along the beach one day, Law finds an injured merman stuck in a tide pool. His discovery is somewhat underwhelming as it is small enough to fit in his hand. Since when are the mythical sea-dwellers so tiny? Law decides to bring the tiny creature home and is catapulted into a world of magic and myth. What's he supposed to do with a cursed mermaid prince!
Relationships: Akagami no Shanks | Red-Haired Shanks/Makino, Donquixote "Corazon" Rosinante/Bellèmere, Monkey D. Luffy/Trafalgar D. Water Law
Comments: 181
Kudos: 295





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone! This is another of my stories that I'm working on transferring over from FanFiction.net and it's a fun one ;) I hope ya'll enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! 
> 
> (Also, Law won't appear until the end of Chapter 2. First, we get some background on Luffy)

Luffy hummed contently as he lounged on a large piece of coral, soaking in the sun's rays. It was always nice to get away from the city every once and a while. Away from his guards and all of the strict rules he had to abide by.

Flipping his silver and white tail up to make a trail of bubbles through the crystal-clear water, Luffy giggled. It wasn't often he could slip away since he was the second prince of Raftel.

His father, Dragon, ruled the oceans with an iron fist and expected a lot from him and Ace, the first prince. Him and Ace weren't related by blood but were still brothers. Luffy frowned sadly as he recalled what he could about Ace's father, the previous King. The Mer had died suddenly, when he was five years old, so his memories were a bit spotty. Rogue, Ace's mother, didn't survive childbirth.

Per Mer law, Dragon inherited the throne, but since Ace's claim was still valid, he became the crown prince in Luffy's place, not that he minded. They looked so similar, most common Mer assumed they were kin.

"Oi, Luffy!" A frantic voice called, startling the prince out of his thoughts, "There you are, I've been looking everywhere for you!"

The young Mer sat up and smiled at Usopp, who was swimming quickly towards him, brown tail swishing in urgency.

"Hey, Usopp!" Luffy greeted happily, "How'd you find me so quickly?" The other Mer swam to a stop and panted to catch his breath.

"You're kind of hard to miss in the sun like that…" Usopp grumbled as he examined Luffy's tail that was glinting in the sunlight, "I went to the reef first since that's where you always go, but when you weren't there, I came out here. You know how dangerous it is to travel this far away from the palace! You could slip into the Riptide Current by accident!"

Luffy huffed and tuned out Usopp's lecture. The reef was beautiful and fun to go to, but he'd seen literally every corner of it! So, when he discovered his new spot, a small enclave with some comfy big coral and a far-off view of Raftel, he couldn't resist.

The young prince knew it was dangerous to be so close to the Riptide Current, but it wasn't like he was going to touch it or something! Luffy turned to examine the massive water current in the distance, the water churning swiftly.

Ace and his father constantly warned him to stay away from it as, if he was caught up in it, he would be whisked away to the territory of the Scavengers. From what Luffy knew, the Scavengers were a group of Mer who lived in the wastes to the east of Raftel. He'd never met a scavenger before, but supposedly they were barbarians who wouldn't hesitate to kill (and possibly eat) outsiders.

At least, that's what his dad always said.

"You're not listening to me…" Usopp sighed, "Come on, Luffy, let's get back to the palace. His Majesty is looking for you."

"Aye…" The prince whined, his powerful tail sending him gliding through the water with ease. When Luffy glanced back and saw Usopp was struggling to keep up, he slowed his pace a little.

"You're as fast as ever!" The younger Mer wheezed beside him. Luffy simply laughed and continued swimming towards Raftel.

Once they reached the town that surrounded the palace, common Merfolk took notice of them and began to whisper amongst themselves while pointing at Luffy. The prince sighed, used to the attention.

His albino tail tended to garner awe from the average Mer.

Usopp took the lead once they entered the palace and led Luffy straight to the throne room. Recognizing him, the guards bowed and opened the heavy doors.

As he swam up to the large throne, Luffy swallowed nervously at the look on his father's face.

"H-Hey, Dad…" The prince greeted with a slight quiver in his voice, "Usopp said you wanted to see me?"

Dragon narrowed his eyes, causing Luffy to flinch. He'd always found his father to be a serious man, and when he sat on his throne, trident in hand, the young Mer was reminded of how terrifying he could be.

"Where were you?" Dragon asked, black tail moving slightly in the water. "I summoned you hours ago."

"My apologies, Your Majesty!" Usopp quickly interjected with a deep bow, "It took me a while to find the prince and deliver your message…"

"So I see." Dragon responded sternly, "You are dismissed, servant. Luffy, come here." The prince flashed a quick smile at Usopp before swimming up to the throne. Once alone, Dragon placed his trident to the side and crossed his arms before asking,

"Well, where were you this time?"

"I found this cool new place…" Luffy whispered, wringing his hands together, "I'm sorry, Dad, I-I just wanted to get away for a while and lost track of time."

"We can't keep doing this, Luffy." Dragon drawled, pinching the bridge of his nose, "Do you have any idea what would happen if something happened to you?" Luffy sniffed and dropped his head in shame. His father continued.

"As a prince of Raftel, you're a prime target for those who want to usurp my authority! Not all of the kingdoms around us are pleased with my leadership." Dragon lectured, fixing Luffy with a hard stare, "I need you to start taking your position more seriously! No more wandering off, especially so close to the summit."

"Can I still go to the reef?" Luffy asked, looking up at Dragon with a hopeful gaze.

"No. I'm sorry, Luffy, but this is a serious matter. I was going to have Ace tell you…" Dragon trailed off, before meeting the young Mer's questioning eyes again, "The Scavenger King is going to attend the summit this year."

Luffy's eyes widened at that.

"Really? Can he do that?" He asked, somewhat confused.

"There is nothing that says he _can't."_ Dragon replied seriously, "Apparently, he intends to vie for his 'kingdom' to be recognized by Raftel so that it can reap the benefits. Of course, that will never happen. We do not deal with such… _barbarians."_

"Is he dangerous? How many are coming?" Luffy asked excitedly. It wasn't often they had Mer come from such an unknown place. Dragon sighed before whacking him on the head with the end of his trident.

"This is _not_ a good thing, Luffy. Their 'King' is a practically a Warlord and known for his brutality! As such, I'm ordering you to stay in your room during the summit."

"What!?" Luffy exclaimed in frustration, swimming up so he was face to face with his father, "That's not fair!"

Dragon simply sighed and motioned for him to calm down.

"I'm sorry, but this is for the best."

"What about Ace, does he get to stay?" Luffy demanded, his hands clenching into fists.

"As crown prince, it is his duty to participate in the summit." The young Mer opened his mouth to object again, only to be stopped by Dragon's hand, "Please understand, this is to keep you safe. You're only seventeen, and with that tail of yours, you tend to draw attention. I don't want anyone getting any ideas."

With that, Dragon rang a bell that Luffy knew summoned his guards. Seconds later, a familiar green-haired Mer appeared alongside a blonde one.

"Zoro, Sanji, escort my son to his chambers and make sure he doesn't leave until after the summit ends."

"As you command." Zoro replied with a bow, giving Luffy a sorrowful look. The prince didn't resist as his two guards each grabbed an arm and firmly guided him out of the throne room.

Once they reached his chambers, Zoro and Sanji placed Luffy on a bubble, allowing him to float up into his oxygen permeated room, and subsequently to the floor dejectedly.

"Come on, Luffy, cheer up! It's only for a day." Sanji encouraged as he peeked up into the room from the hole in the floor, "Why don't I go make you some flame-grilled sea king to tide you over?"

Luffy perked up a little, already drooling at the thought. If there was one thing they could thank humans for, it was fire. Using bubble technology, parts of the palace were pockets of air, so they could make food they couldn't normally make underwater.

"Thanks, Sanji, I'll take you up on that." Luffy replied with a small smile as he manipulated the bubble over to his bed and flopped down on it with a huff. Hearing the door to the hole close behind Sanji, Luffy rolled onto his stomach so he could pout up at Zoro.

"Are you sure you can't let me out?" Luffy questioned, eyes big.

"Nope, sorry Luffy." Zoro responded swiftly from his perch on his own bubble (thanks to awesome bubble coral), "King's orders."

The prince whined and wrapped his arms around his bare stomach, curling up into a ball. How stupid was this!?

'It's not like anything's going to happen…' Luffy thought indignantly as he buried his face into one of his soft pillows.

* * *

Ace reclined on the balcony rail of his room, watching the fish swim by. He was supposed to be studying Merfolk law for the summit, but really needed a break. It was tough being crown prince.

Raising a hand, Ace willed the water in his palm to heat until he had a small bubble of boiling water that he flung at a nearby wall. Royal Mer were all blessed with an ability, his just so happened to be extremely powerful.

'Not that Raftel has need of a warrior…' Ace thought while clicking his tongue to scare off a particularly brave angel fish, 'No one's stupid enough to try and come against Dragon's power.' His step-father could make water around him bend to his will, an ability inherited (somewhat) by Luffy. Not that the youngling could control it yet.

"Enjoying yourself, yoi?" A voice asked in amusement, "What'd the fish ever do to you?"

"Their crime? Being too delicious." Ace responded with a smirk as he watched the fish swim in terror as he barred his teeth. Marco, his guard, chuckled from where he floated on a bubble inside the air lock of his room. The prince was glad he'd requested a bubble wall to his balcony, that way he didn't have to go out the door in the floor if he wanted to reach the ocean.

Squeezing a piece of bubble coral he'd taken with him onto the balcony, Ace summoned a bubble, situated himself on it, and re-entered his chamber.

"They finally found Prince Luffy, by the way." Marco informed him while he moved from the bubble to his bed, "Apparently, he was over by the Riptide Current, yoi. The King was quite angry with him."

Ace sighed and ran a hand through his still wet raven hair.

"That's Lu all right, always running straight into danger. Should get him a leash or something…"

"King Dragon has ordered him to stay in his chambers until the summit is over, yoi. Probably for the best." Marco added as he shifted on his bubble, yellow and blue tail tensing from the effort.

Ace nodded in agreement. With the Scavenger King coming, the usually boring summit suddenly became unpredictable. From experience, he knew that there was many a Mer who wanted to get their fins on a Silver-Scale. That is, a Mer with an albino tail. Not only were they ridiculously rare, but their scales were said to have special healing properties along with some type of magic. All of this on top of the fact that his little brother was a Royal…

Yep, keeping Lu hidden away was the best course of action.

"My Prince, may I enter?" A crusty voice called from beyond the floor door. Raising an eyebrow, Ace gestured for Marco to see who it was as he wasn't expecting any visitors that night.

The blonde Mer opened the door and floated aside as another bubble pulled a chunky Mer up into Ace's room.

"Zehahaha, that door sure isn't made for us big-boned ones is it!" Teach laughed, settling himself awkwardly onto the bubble.

"What is it, Teach?" Ace asked the servant in a monotone voice, "I need to keep preparing for the summit tomorrow." The fat Mer made Ace feel somewhat… disconcerted. He was just always around, and his gaze tended to linger a few seconds too long.

"Forgive me, Your Highness, I merely wished to bring you some refreshments." The servant smiled and presented a tray of sorbets still trapped inside a protective bubble.

"That's very kind of you, Teach." Ace replied with a forced smile, "You can leave them on the table."

Teach bowed, nearly tipping off his bubble, before popping the bubble around the dish, placing the tray down, and excusing himself. Marco had to help push the fat Mer back into he water.

When the old servant left, Ace breathed a sigh of relief.

"There's something about him that makes me uneasy."

"He's always been like that, yoi." The guard assured, "But, despite his looks and mannerisms, he's also one of the most loyal servants the Royal family has ever had. Try to see his more… positive attributes."

Ace huffed and motioned for Marco to bring over his "studies", so he could continue. Dragon wanted him to be fully prepared and wouldn't accept anything less.

* * *

It was hard for Teach to keep his composure as he left the Crown Prince's chamber. Seeing Ace like that… reclined with his orange tail relaxed and on display, so magnificent and much more beautiful than his own tail, a matted grey and black.

He'd been working for the Royal family for many years and, from the first time he'd laid eyes on the first prince, Teach knew he was a masterpiece. Not only was he strong warrior, but his Royal ability was the most powerful seen in generations! Oh, he had plans for Ace.

Swimming through the hallways, the old Mer couldn't help but smirk to himself. After all, his plan was finally coming to fruition now that it was the summit's eve.

"Ah, Teach!" A young voice called, "Care to give me a hand?"

Pushing down his frustration at being interrupted, the servant smiled and turned to the little chef whose name was Sanji, if he remembered correctly.

"I'm bringing Prince Luffy his meal and could use some help." The blonde asked as he gestured to a large assortment of plates and dishes, already prepped in bubbles.

The second prince… Monkey D. Luffy. While Teach found the boy annoyingly bright and happy, he didn't particularly hate the kid. His tail was something of a wonder but Teach still preferred Ace's.

It took some skillful bubble use to get all the plates through the water and into the Prince's chambers. Not bothering to pull himself all the way in, Teach watched Sanji lay out the food, gaining an enthusiastic giggle from the prince.

"Thanks, Sanji!" The second-prince chirped, maneuvering himself to the edge of his bed so he could reach the plates.

'He's nothing like his father…' Teach thought as he watched the brat tear into the meat like a rabid animal. Still, every pawn had its uses…

Leaving the prince to his meal, Teach slunk out of the palace and swam a ways to a cave hidden in the nearby cliff face. Doc Q was waiting for him. Not much for talking, the old sorcerer led him to the back of the cave where dark magic was festering.

"Will it be done by tomorrow?" Teach asked, looking over the object with a scrutinizing gaze.

Doc Q's tentacles slithered around as the sorcerer nodded.

"It… will be… complete. You need… only… wield it."

The old Mer laughed as he circled the trident, ecstatic to think what the look on Dragon's face would be when he stripped him of his power and took Raftel for himself.

'And then… Ace, and all his power, will be mine.'

* * *

The following morning, Ace got up early and met Dragon in the throne room, royal circlet across his brow. While his and the King's were a brilliant gold, Lu's was silver. Not that he would need to wear it today.

As they discussed how the summit proceedings would go, a guard swam quickly into the room.

"My Lords, Mer have been spotted approaching from the west and north."

"Meet them all half-way and lead them here." Dragon ordered, "Let me know the _second_ you see a scavenger." Ace eyed the King's furrowed brow with concern.

"You're worried." He asked in a low voice, "Do you really think the Scavenger King will try something?"

Dragon gripped his trident tightly and the tattoo on his face glowed for just a moment.

"With that… _creature_ … we must be prepared for anything."

* * *

Charlotte Katakuri held in a sneeze as he glided through the water alongside, but not in, the Riptide Current.

"Are you all right, brother?" Cracker asked in a concerned voice, coming up beside him through multiple strong flicks of his tail.

"I'm fine." He replied curtly, slowing his pace again so his entourage could keep up. At over sixteen-feet in length, Katakuri was easily the largest thing in this part of the ocean. Even sea kings avoided him, as they should.

Despite his strength, he couldn't help but feel apprehensive about the summit they were going to be attending. Through constant petition and frankly bothering the Council of Mer, he'd finally managed to secure a place, if temporary, at the annual summit of Kings.

Katakuri knew that the great King Dragon would be less than pleased to see him considering the Mer's past with Mama.

It had been years since the terror that was "Big Mom" died, leaving Katakuri to care for his people. He could only hope that Dragon would look past his prejudices and see the true need of his people.

The main issue, aside from a general lack of food, was sickness coming from pollution. Filth came up from the ocean floor like a plague and, coupled with the human's trash, created a toxic environment that needed to be cleansed. The wastes were a harsh place to live. Though he was reluctant to request it, Katakuri had heard rumors that one of Dragon's sons was a Silver-Scale.

'With their help, perhaps the wave of death can finally cease!' the massive Mer thought, gritting his teeth. No one knew where the pollution came from, but it needed to be cleansed. Personally, Katakuri thought it could be a type of dark magic, but there was no way of knowing for sure without magic of their own… hence the Silver-Scale.

"Brother…" Cracker asked from beside him, "What if they refuse to help us? I-If we don't get _at least_ medicine… our people will…"

Katakuri had of course thought of this possibility. Knowing the smaller Mer races like he did, there was a good chance they would be refused without even bothering to listen to their plight. But, with the instincts of a shark running through him, Katakuri would not be stopped by simple politics.

"Should the worst happen, Cracker, we take what we need by force."

"You don't mean…"

"I do. If everything is refused us, then we take the Silver-Scale by force." Katakuri replied. He knew this course of action would be a declaration of war, but he _would not_ let his people die. "This is only a last resort. For now, we negotiate, and hope all goes well."

He could feel the tension grow in the scavengers swimming behind him, but Katakuri knew they would do what was necessary to save their families. Catching a large stray fish in his sharp teeth, he ripped the flesh off its bones and threw what was left to his comrades who immediately swarmed the carcass. Though not nearly as large as he was, all of the scavengers were of shark descent and therefore larger than the average Mer.

Katakuri smirked as he watched his brothers and sisters feed before turning back towards their destination that grew larger as they approached.

'See reason, tiny Mer King, and there shall be peace.'

* * *

Luffy leaned out his window just shy of the bubble separating his oxygen rich room from the water outside. Pushing himself up a bit higher so he could see, the prince watched the nobles from other Kingdoms enter the palace.

He curled his lip in disgust as they strutted past the guards like they owned the place. Most nobility just looked down on the common people and saw themselves as better than everyone else. Pushing his face against the bars that prevented him from swimming out into the sea, Luffy scanned the crowd again, looking for the newcomer… the Scavenger King.

So far, no one stood out to him.

Pouting, Luffy sat back in his bubble and glared at the still locked door that would have been his escape, knowing Zoro and Sanji were right outside of it. For all his pleading, they wouldn't budge.

Putting his face in his hand, Luffy stared longingly down at the courtyard, wishing he could be anywhere but trapped in his room.

Suddenly, a commotion down below drew his attention. The guards were quickly ushering the stragglers into the throne room while others swam out with spears held aloft. Immediately alert, Luffy watched the guards form a semi-circle to greet the new Mers, who were larger than any he had ever seen. The first few were definitely different, with tails that were hard and more shark-like, though it was their prominent dorsal fins that gave away their origin.

'No wonder Dad didn't want me near them.' Luffy thought as he watched the scavengers swim to a stop, 'Shark Mer are known to be dangerous.' His thoughts came to an abrupt halt when he laid eyes on the one who could only be the King.

The Scavenger King was massive, larger than some of the houses he swam by. He had tattoos over half his chest and his tail was a deep purple, almost black, with stripes indicating what shark he took his tail from.

'Tiger shark…' Luffy thought with a nervous swallow, remembering his own experience with one when he and Ace were just fry. The monstrous Mer straightened up to meet the quivering guards, his long teeth out for everyone to see.

Though he couldn't hear what they were saying, it seems they worked it out as the scavengers were allowed into the hall, their King barely able to fit through the arched doorway.

Luffy moved his bubble back over to his bed where he entertained himself by scrubbing his tail scales, wishing he could be down with Ace to hear what was going on…


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For reference, 6 inches is equivalent to about 15 cm :)

Ace watched apprehensively from his coral chair as the nobles swam into the throne room and took their designated seats. As he was full-grown and crown prince, Ace had the right to sit next to the King and to speak up if he wished, though he hoped he wouldn't have to.

Suddenly, a shadow came over the palace's open entrance and the room went silent. Ace couldn't help but gaze upon the King of the Scavengers in awe as the massive Mer swam into the room. As no seat was large enough for him, the shark-Mer settled himself and his entourage against the wall farthest from the throne.

The first prince glanced over at Dragon who hadn't stopped scowling at the scavenger since he'd swam in.

'…will he be able to hold himself together?' Ace thought, a bit concerned, 'This is a diplomatic meeting, so we can't afford to be _too_ antagonistic.' A few minutes later, once everyone was accounted for, Dragon slammed his trident against the stone floor, silencing the whispers completely.

"Thank you all for coming," The King exclaimed through his scowl, "As I'm sure you've noticed, we have a… _guest_ … with us today. Charlotte Katakuri, son of the notorious Charlotte Linlin, more commonly known as 'Big Mom'." The nobles all then spun around to either glare at or cower from the shark-Mer who simply returned the gazes with his own calm one.

"I am honored to have been given the opportunity to attend, Your Majesty." The Scavenger King replied, his deep voice reverberating through the water.

"Indeed…" Dragon growled, tightening his grip on his trident.

"If it pleases you, may I come forward and allow the court to hear my petition?" The Scavenger King, Katakuri, asked with a bow. Dragon frowned, but nodded, motioning for the guards to clear some room for the large Mer.

As the Charlotte swam up to the throne, Mer nobles on either side of him moved away, fear and disgust clear on their faces.

'Shark-Mer really aren't popular…' Ace thought as he watched the scene unfold. 'Or maybe it has more to do with his sire?'

"I'll get straight to the point," Katakuri projected, "My people are dying. Pollution is closing in from the sea-floor and from the surface." The Mer bowed low again before continuing, "I request that our Kingdom be officially recognized so that we may have access to the medicine and resources available to Raftel's neighbors."

At that, the throne room erupted into protest, nobles swimming up out of their seats.

"Preposterous!"

"Why would we give away our resources to a-a _savage!"_

Ace scowled at the nobles as they surrounded the Scavenger King, who took the insults without wavering. Seeing that Dragon wasn't making a move to stop it, Ace called on his ability and heated the room with his anger.

"ENOUGH!" He yelled, making everyone flinch and yelp as the water became almost scalding, "Sit down and let him speak, you are disgracing yourselves!" The nobles slowly retreated to their seats and Katakuri gave him a grateful look.

"Tell me, Charlotte, what exactly would you do with our resources?" A particularly bold noble asked snidely, "For all we know, this is all a clever ruse to garner strength for yourself and wage war!"

"I would use them to save the lives of my people." Katakuri responded, before turning back to Dragon, "Please, Your Majesty, consider my request."

The King gripped his chin in thought, looking over the shark-Mer with skeptical eyes.

"What resources do you wish for, _specifically?"_ Dragon asked through gritted teeth.

"Food, preferably any type of meat, access to the North-Eastern scrap yards that are part of your territory, so we may rebuild dwellings once the pollution has been cleared away, and…"

The Scavenger King trailed off, taking a deep breath before fixing Dragon with a determined gaze.

"I humbly request the aid of your son in cleansing the pollution… the Silver-Scale."

Ace's mouth dropped open at the request and whispers started spreading throughout the room. Beside him, Dragon's eyes were blown wide with anger and the water around him started to swirl as his face tattoo began to glow an ominous blue.

"You DARE ask me to give you my youngest son!" He bellowed, swimming up a bit closer to the Charlotte, "Luffy is not a _resource_ that is up for grabs, he is my child!"

"I'm aware," Katakuri replied calmly, not moving amongst the swirling water, "However, there is no other sure way of removing the pollution that is coming up from the depths, especially if it's being caused by dark magic as I fear."

Ace grabbed Dragon's arm and hauled him back into his throne, trying to calm him down.

"I'll kill him!" The King growled low in his throat as he pulled against Ace's arms. He grunted as the larger Mer strained and snapped. By this point, Katakuri's subordinates had swiftly gathered in front of their leader, ready to defend him.

'Well, this is going great…'

* * *

Katakuri was getting frustrated.

He was aware of Dragon and the small Merfolk's issues with his kind, but it was far worse than he had anticipated. It was taking all the self-control he had not to make a noble into a snack for every insult against his family.

That being said, Katakuri found himself impressed with the crown prince. It seems he hadn't inherited the King's prejudice, though it may be that Dragon never told him what occurred with Mama all those years ago.

Cracker looked at him, obviously wanting permission to fight, but Katakuri shook his head and waved them back to the wall. The negotiation wasn't over yet.

After a few minutes of wrestling, the prince succeeded in calming the King, though he was still very tense. Calling together the ministers of the smaller kingdoms, Dragon convened with them in whispers. Eventually, they separated and stood before Katakuri, looking somewhat smug.

Not a good sign.

"We will give you a few boxes of medicine and some food, but that's all." Dragon declared, "Should you prove yourself a trustworthy ally of Raftel and its Kingdoms, we shall re-consider recognizing… what was it called?"

"Totto Ravine." Katakuri put in, somewhat offended Dragon hadn't bothered to remember the name of his Kingdom, "When would this 're-consideration' occur?"

"When we feel you've proven yourself." A minister replied with a smirk as he stroked his ridiculous facial hair.

Which meant never.

"A few boxes of medicine will merely delay the inevitable!" Katakuri protested, "My people need a permanent solution, one that involves clearing the pollution-"

"Look…" A somewhat chunky Mer noble interrupted, rolling his eyes, "What happens in your 'kingdom' is no concern of ours. You need to understand that we simply cannot waste precious resources on something so… unimportant."

At that, Katakuri barred his teeth and clenched his fists. These pompous Mer considered the death of an entire kingdom _unimportant!?_ The death of his family, _trivial!?_ He flipped his massive tail angrily, causing a rush of water to knock over many of the chuckling nobles.

"I have abided by your laws, _Dragon,_ and groveled in your court, but I will not allow such insults against my family!" Katakuri growled, "Tread carefully, for I am not against using other means to achieve my goals, consequences be damned!"

Once he finished speaking, Royal guards surrounded him with spears held menacingly.

"Take what we are generously giving you," Dragon declared in a stern voice, "and get out."

Snarling at the King, Katakuri spun around and swam out of the throne room, Cracker and the rest right behind him. Escorted out of the city, they came to a halt just outside of Raftel's wall, with two boxes of medicine and a small net of fish as their only bounty.

"Well, that sucked." Cracker grumbled, glaring at the palace in the distance, "What are we going to do now, Brother?"

"What we must." Katakuri replied, "When night falls, take Cadenza and Cabaletta into the city, find the Silver-Scale, and bring him to me."

Cracker nodded stoically.

"In the meantime, the rest of us will return to the mouth of the Riptide Current where we will await your return. Swim carefully, Dragon may be on his guard." Cracker bowed respectfully before taking his two companions and swimming to a nearby kelp forest to lay in wait.

While this was not how he'd hoped the summit would go, Katakuri was not so gracious as to let the nobles swim all over him and his family. No, he would take the little prince and watch Dragon squirm.

Then, once the Silver-Scale completed his work, Katakuri would… _consider_ … returning him.

* * *

Once the summit ended and his guards let him out, Luffy swam straight to his father's chambers where he hoped Ace would be too. He wanted to know how everything turned out! What did the Scavenger King have to say?

Pushing the door open, Luffy recoiled at the hot water temperature, indicating Ace was angry.

"What the hell is wrong with you!?" His big-brother growled, pointing accusingly at an exhausted looking Dragon, "It was obvious he only wanted help, and we practically spit in his face!"

Luffy bit his lip and considered leaving but decided against it and closed the door quietly behind him. The sound of the latch closing drew the attention of the room's other occupants.

"Hey, Lu…" Ace greeted quietly, opening his arms in an invitation for a hug. Luffy immediately dove into his brother's arms, thrumming deep in his chest to try and calm the larger Mer.

"What happened? Is everything okay?"

"Well…" Ace started, pulling away to hold Luffy gently by the shoulders, "Your genius of a father almost started a war with the scavengers. In fact, they may try and retaliate."

Dragon sighed and motioned for the two of them to sit next to him on the shell bench. Luffy glided over to the Mer's left while Ace settled stiffly on his right.

"I am sorry but dealing with Katakuri… brings back old memories." Dragon informed them, "We fought years ago and Big Mom, well, I won't get into it now, but it was bad. It is in the best interest of the Kingdom to keep the scavengers away and unconnected to us."

Ace went to protest but was stopped by a flick of Dragon's tail.

"You were impressive today, Ace, and I couldn't be prouder. Someday, you will make a great and respected King, one that can keep the nobility in check. Roger would be proud of how you've matured." He said while ruffling the freckled Mer's hair, "And Luffy, my son…"

Luffy smiled and hugged his father close, curling his tail around the larger Mer's tail as a sign of affection.

"I hope you understand that all I do is to protect you," Dragon whispered into Luffy's hair, "You're something special, and will do great things someday."

Dragon then pulled Ace into the hug and squeezed them tightly in his arms.

"My boys…"

After a few seconds, Ace squirmed out of the embrace and gave the King a strange look.

"Well, that wasn't weird at all… I mean… thanks…but," He said somewhat flustered, "What are we going to do about the threat to Lu? What if he comes for him?"

Luffy removed himself from his father's warmth to look between the two older Mer, confused.

"What threat?"

"The Scavenger King requested your aid in cleansing pollution in and around his Kingdom." Dragon answered, "Naturally, I refused, and he… alluded, that he would take you by force if need be."

The prince's eyes widened at that and his tail flicked nervously. He could protect himself just fine, but tiger sharks (or their Mer counterparts) made him… uncomfortable.

"Don't worry, Lu, I won't let him anywhere near you!" Ace reassured, catching Luffy in a head lock. The second-prince laughed and batted at his brother's orange tail with his own.

"Who says I need your help? I can take him!" Luffy insisted, still trying to get out of Ace's iron grip. Their scuffle was interrupted by Dragon clearing his throat.

"Regardless of what Katakuri does, I don't want either of you anywhere near him. He's extraordinarily powerful and is not to be underestimated." The King warned, "Especially you, Luffy. You're young and can't control your powers very well. Be on your guard."

Luffy nodded, and before he could respond, there was a knock on the door.

"I asked to not be disturbed…" Dragon called, irritated, "Whoever's there, leave us!"

"Forgive me, Your Majesty!" A strange voice responded, "But it's an emergency, please let me in!" Sighing, the King swam to the door and opened it.

The second it was open, a wave a darkness flooded the room, sending Luffy flying backwards and into the stone wall. Groaning in pain, he saw that Ace and his father had also been flung into the wall.

Before he could fully reorient himself, tentacles slithered into the room and wrapped around him, successfully trapping Luffy in place. Squirming and trying to refocus his blurry vision, the prince saw that Ace's head was bleeding and he lay limp in the creature's grasp while Dragon was shouting something to him and brandishing his trident.

The creature's main body entered the room, looking disgusting and excreting filth into the surrounding water. Suddenly, Luffy's body seized up as he realized he couldn't breathe. Not needing to look down, he could feel a hefty tentacle wrapped tightly around his neck, obscuring his gills.

It didn't take long for him to completely lose consciousness.

* * *

When Luffy awoke, he was out of the water and laying on something hard. Blinking, the prince attempted to sit up, only to collapse when his vision started to spin.

"Ah, the last one finally wakes up." A voice sneered, "About time."

Groaning, Luffy forced himself up into a sitting position, and growled at the Mer surrounding him. They were in a cave of some sort with a large pool in the center which obviously led to the ocean. Flexing his arms, the second prince tried to get blood flow back to his restrained limbs.

"Lu!" Ace called from across the pool, arms chained behind his back in a similar manner. Out of the water as they were, it was all they could do to stay upright. Their captors floated on bubbles and definitely had the advantage, not to mention their swords and spears.

"Ace!" Luffy called as he tried to scoot closer to the pool, only to be stopped when one of his captors grabbed him by the hair and held a sword to his throat.

"Easy now, little prince," the Mer chuckled darkly, "Wouldn't want my hand to slip." Luffy swallowed and gritted his teeth as the sword nicked the sensitive skin around his throat.

"Zehahaha, isn't this something!" A voice laughed, echoing throughout the cave. Luffy was forced back to the ground as the weird servant floated in, dragging the King by his hair.

"DAD!" He screamed, horrified at the sight of his father's bloodied body. The servant, Teach, smirked and threw Dragon onto the cave floor causing him to spit up blood.

"How the mighty fall…" Teach snickered, spitting on the prone Mer, "I've been waiting for this day for so long!"

"Teach, you bastard!" Ace growled loudly, pulling at his chains, "Do you know what you've done!?" The instigator turned towards the freckled Mer and swiftly floated over to him before grabbing Ace's face roughly.

"I know exactly what I've done, and soon you will learn to appreciate my power." Ace snarled and snapped at Teach's chubby fingers, prompting the fat Mer to laugh loudly.

"Such a spitfire! Don't you worry, Dragon's not dead yet, I still need him. And as for you…" He trailed off and pulled out a pure black trident brimming with dark magic. Luffy immediately threw himself forward, trying desperately to break free from his captors.

'He's going to do something to Ace! I-I have to-'

A stream of darkness shot out of the trident and hit Ace square in the chest, making him scream and writhe on the cold stone. Teach reclined on his bubble, cackling as his victim collapsed with a quiet whine.

"Sleep for now, and when you awaken, become mine." The fat Mer crooned, "You will rule by my side for all eternity…" When he floated down and drew a chubby hand through Ace's hair, Luffy snarled and yelled,

"Don't you dare touch him!"

His outburst earned him a harsh hit to the head with the end of a spear and multiple hits to the gut, making him fall to the ground and moan in pain.

"Ah, and we finally come to the little prince." Teach said with a chuckle as he floated across the pool and settled in front of Luffy. "Get him up!" The Mer's subordinates grabbed Luffy by the arms and hauled him back into a seated position, his tail flapping uselessly.

"Why are you… doing this?" He managed to choke out before coughing harshly. Though he'd never particularly liked Teach, Luffy knew he was a respected servant who'd served the Royal family for years. Why betray them after so long!?

"Why? This has always been the plan." Teach sneered, "It's simply taken many years of planning and _pretending_ to finally achieve my goal. And now, Raftel is mine!"

Luffy growled at the Mer and struggled once again to break free, but to no avail.

"If only you'd been born a few years earlier…" Teach pondered, looking him over with a sigh, "Oh well. Fortunately for you, little prince, I'm keeping you alive as insurance." At that, Luffy was dropped roughly onto the cave floor. He looked around with wide eyes as his captors stepped back and Teach leveled the evil trident.

Unable to do anything to stop it, Luffy took the beam of dark magic head-on. The pain was excruciating, and his body contorted painfully. He passed out shortly after.

* * *

Waking up the second time, Luffy could tell something was seriously wrong. While his arms were free of their restraints, everything seemed louder and… bigger.

'W-What…'

Using his shaky arms to push himself up, the prince found himself surrounded by what appeared to be chains, trapping him.

"Zehahaha."

The instant he heard the laugh, Luffy yelped and covered his ears, trying to muffle the noise. Something rough grabbed him and pulled him off the ground with no effort at all. He gasped as he continued to go higher, holding on for dear life.

When he came face to face with Teach, Luffy started to understand what had happened. Pushing against the evil Mer's hand that held him tightly, the prince glared into the man's now much larger face.

"Aw… look at you, so tiny." Teach cooed, using one finger to lift Luffy's chin. "Like this, you're no threat. Oi, throw him a cage or something and continue the invasion of the city! By tomorrow morning, Raftel will be ours!"

He was passed off to another putrid smelling Mer who held him even tighter than Teach had, pinning his tiny arms down. As the group yelled in response to their leader's speech, Luffy couldn't help but sob as he couldn't do anything about the noise and its reverberation in the cave.

His new captor leapt into the pool, startling Luffy as his newly shrunk lungs protested briefly to the water. When his gills finally kicked in, he curled into the hand holding him tightly in an attempt to reduce the strain of the water pushing against him.

The Mer holding him broke off from the group and started to swim towards the outskirts of the palace. This gave Luffy a view of what was happening in the city, and it made him gasp in horror. Raftel, his home, was being destroyed. Outsiders swam threw the causeways and destroyed buildings as they went all the while tormenting the people.

Some common Mer had already fallen, their bodies floating amongst the debris.

Struggling against the webbed hand holding him captive, Luffy cried. How could they do something like this!? Those were his people, and many were his friends!

"Oi! Quit squirming!" The Mer minion demanded before shaking him up and down vigorously.

Now extremely dizzy, Luffy drooped over his captor's hand, feeling sick. His head pounded, and he could hear his pulse in his ears.

When something slammed into the Mer carrying him, knocking his tiny body into the water, Luffy couldn't hold it anymore and spewed the contents of his stomach. Gasping, he barely reacted when large hands gathered him up, closing him in between two palms.

* * *

To say the coup surprised Cracker was a severe understatement. No matter how awful they were, he'd never expected someone to actually rise up and try to take power for themselves, not in a culture where ideals were set in stone.

Right now though, it was of no consequence. In fact, the chaos was actually a good thing as it allowed him and his two brothers to sneak back into the palace with no issues. The hard part was locating the second prince.

They checked as many rooms as they could, but most of them were already swarming with rebellious Mer and other unsavory creatures. As the battle, or massacre, continued, Cracker swam out into the sea around the back of the palace, ignoring the enticing scent of blood coming from the town.

"Where is he?" He muttered to himself, Cadenza and Cabaletta swimming up to join him. They'd checked everywhere!

"Brother, look there!" Cadenza called, pointing up to where a group of Mer were swimming out of a cave. That had to be it!

They watched the group approach and swim to join the combat, somewhat frustrated that there was no sign of the prince. That is, until a small glint of light in the hand of a stray caught his attention. Swimming a bit closer, Cracker's eyes widened at the sight of a tiny Mer, only about six inches tall, squirming against he grip of the larger, his albino tail catching moonlight. Knowing there was no known race of Merfolk that small, Cracker assumed it had to be magic.

Quietly signaling for his brothers to surround the Mer, Cracker slowed his pace and stalked behind his target, eyes on his tiny prize. He saw his chance to strike when the little one was shaken and sped forward.

Cadenza and Cabaletta slammed into the target first, holding him in place, while Cracker went in for the kill and snapped his neck with a firm jerk of his teeth. Leaving his brothers to deal with the body, the shark-Mer turned to secure the prince only to find him throwing his guts up and coughing raggedly, possibly as a repercussion of being shaken so roughly.

Curling his lip in disgust, despite all of it being so small, Cracker flicked his large tail up to get it away from him before cupping his hands around the tiny prince, capturing him.

"Let's go!" He called to his brothers, "Katakuri's waiting for us!"

* * *

The Scavenger King flipped his tail back and forth lazily to keep himself upright as he waited for Cracker to return. He was interested to hear what happened considering the obvious damage and battle going on in the heart of the city. Cracker had been gone for quite a while, but Katakuri had high hopes he would succeed in his mission.

"My Lord, look!" One of his subordinates called, pointing towards Raftel. Katakuri sighed in relief as Cracker, Cadenza, and Cabaletta swam into view, rushing towards them. Of course, what did concern him was the definitive lack of a Silver-Scale.

"We made it…" Cracker panted, swimming to a stop in front of Katakuri, "Raftel's a mess so it was hard to make it back through without running into somebody!"

"What happened?"

"Looks like a coup… honestly not too sure on the details." Cracker replied, catching his breath.

"What about the prince?" Katakuri asked with crossed arms, "I see you don't have him."

"Actually…" Cracker said with a smirk, "We do."

The smaller shark-Mer then held up his cupped hands for everyone to see and opened them, revealing the tiny albino Mer who was curled up there. The little thing blinked as his eyes adjusted and gazed up at them with a somewhat vacant gaze. He coughed violently before collapsing back into Cracker's palm, blood trickling from a wound under his raven hair and bruises covering his small chest.

"Not sure why he's like this, but I assume it was magic." Cracker informed him while transferring the tiny prince to one hand and poking him with the other.

Katakuri examined the Silver-Scale, noting how he shivered and clutched at his stomach.

"He needs treatment." The Scavenger King ascertained, "Let's get him back to Brulee and see what she can do about his injuries and his current size. Will you be able to hold onto him in the current?"

"Not a problem!" Cracker reassured him while closing the Silver-Scale in again. Deciding to trust his little brother, Katakuri led the group away from Raftel and towards the Riptide Current that would take them home.

Looking back at the crumbling city, he felt conflicted. One side of him rejoiced that the pompous nobles were finally getting what they deserved while another part urged him to aid them. He decided that, considering the safety of his family, it would be better to leave and see how the internal conflict panned out.

Noting his fellow sharks were ready, Katakuri leapt into the Riptide Current. It was always exhilarating to ride it as it sent you flying through the ocean faster than any Mer could ever swim.

Just as he was starting to relax and enjoy the ride, Cracker yelped from behind him. Slightly turning his head, as that was all he could manage in the powerful current, he saw that Cracker's hands were open and the Silver-Scale was nowhere to be seen.

Unbelievable…

* * *

Though Luffy was currently tiny and injured, he was not going to just sit around and allow the scavengers to take him. It took more effort than he'd expected, but he managed to tap into the water around him to make a small current.

Just before he unleashed it, the shark-Mer entered the Riptide Current. It was unlike anything he'd ever experienced. The pressure was crushing, and he knew that there was no going against it. Still, he had to try.

Managing to hold onto his feeble connection to the water, he flung it at the hands keeping him contained until the large Mer released him with a yelp. Now free, Luffy flung himself into he current and was thrown around, the mere swiftness of the water making it difficult to breathe.

Somehow, just before the current came to an end, the little prince was able to make it out of the current. Spinning in the water, Luffy held his head with a groan as his vision stabilized. Hearing shouts from behind him, the young Mer sped off, in the only safe direction currently, _up_ and away from his pursuers.

Knowing he couldn't outrun them, Luffy swiftly ascended, desperate to get away.

Having only surfaced in the reef, the prince felt nervous but determined. Feeling the scavengers gaining on him, Luffy called on the ocean to give him speed, which it did.

A little too much speed.

Now flying through the water, Luffy closed his eyes simply wanting the experience to end. He gasped when his tiny body flew out of the water and into the air. Unable to control his landing, he was thrown onto the shore, barely missing some jagged rocks. Rolling from the momentum, Luffy fell into a small pool of shallow water, where he floated for a moment, trying to catch his breath.

When he moved, Luffy yelped in pain and held his arm tightly. Examining it in the moonlight, he could see it had been broken on impact. Swimming slowly around the pool, he discovered there was no way out and no way back to the ocean.

While this was a good thing in a sense as it could provide protection from his pursuers, what was he going to do? He was in human territory now and there's no telling what they'd do if they discovered him (not that he'd ever met one before)!

Deciding there was nothing he could do but wait, Luffy bit his quivering lip and curled up next to a kind sea cucumber named Fred, who offered him some comfort.

* * *

Law enjoyed the ocean, quite a lot actually. He supposed it was Cora's fault for instilling the interest in him, but he wasn't complaining. Early morning walks along the rocky shore were calming and helped take him away from his chaotic life.

He used to be a surgeon, one of the best. People would come from all over to consult him, the youngest cardiothoracic surgeon on this side of the Red Line. Of course, that all changed when his uncle came back into his life.

Doflamingo tracked him and Cora down after they'd fled to another city for a better life. His adoptive father recognized that the gang life really wasn't good for a child and tried to give him a better future, much to Doflamingo's chagrin.

Despite all their efforts, the head of the Donquixote Family found them, tracking them all the way from Dressrosa to Water 7, where they'd lived at the time.

Coercing teenage Law into some… very illegal activities, he was taken back into the gang. At the time, Law was something of a rebel and didn't appreciate everything Cora had done for him, so it really wasn't hard to re-initiate him into the gang scene.

He didn't feel the repercussions of his actions for some time, until he was finally caught, tried, and put in jail for three years. After being released on parole, he cut all ties with his uncle and moved with Cora to Goa, a relatively small city right on the ocean. As a convict, it was difficult to get a job, especially as a doctor. Even with all his expertise and experience, no one would hire him.

So, now twenty-four, he currently worked as a barista at a local café called The Tangerine that was run by Cora's girlfriend, Bellemere and her family. He'd managed to get himself a small apartment and made sure not to miss any meetings with his parole officer, Smoker.

Law was determined to turn his life around, but some habits were hard to kick.

Eustass Kidd, a fellow inmate and gangster, ran things in a town not far from Goa and tended to stop by every once and a while to try and pull him back into that life. Apparently, Law had impressed him during their stay in prison and was determined to recruit him.

Just goes to show that good friends are hard to come by.

Cora constantly encouraged him to go out and meet people, but Law found socializing to be difficult. After being put in prison, most of his "friends" at the hospital either abandoned him or spent their days sullying his name.

So, Law found himself to be quite picky with his friends. He didn't even particularly like his co-workers at the Tangerine.

He was drawn out of his thoughts when he stubbed a toe on a jagged rock, eliciting a curse. So much for a calm walk down by the beach. Sighing, Law continued his trek until he came to his favorite spot, a large boulder that looked over the ocean. Once seated, he hummed contently, soaking in the early morning sunlight.

That is, until a soft squeak caught his attention. Raising an eyebrow, Law looked around for anyone or anything around, only to find nothing.

What was that?

When he heard it again, Law nimbly climbed off his perch and set about searching for the source of the noise.

'I swear if it's some brat I'll-'

He heard it a third time, right by his feet. Kneeling down, Law watched something thrash around in a tide pool. It looked like some sort of fish and it had a crab attached to its tail.

'Since when do fish _squeak?'_ He thought as he watched the strange thing try and get the crab's pincer out of its tail. With a particularly hard flip of its tail, the crab was dislodged and actually thrown out of the tide pool, nearly connecting with Law's face.

Scowling, he got down on his knees for a closer look, only to freeze because _that_ … was not a fish. Its bottom half was a beautiful white tail, but its top half was that of a tiny human teenager… thing.

'A mermaid… er… merman?'

The merman looked up at him with wide eyes before swimming into a corner and curling up into a little ball, fear clear on its face.

Law honestly found himself a bit… underwhelmed. Cora, being the mythical creature fanatic that he was, had filled his head with stories of the Merfolk, and he'd been expecting something… bigger. Still, the fact that he'd just stumbled upon a creature of myth was pretty cool.

Taking out his phone, Law tried to snap a few pictures of the thing, only to scare it even more when the flash went off.

"Sorry! Sorry…" He soothed, putting his phone away, "I didn't mean to scare you, little Mer-ya." The tiny merman uncurled slightly but didn't move from his spot in the corner. Fishing a hand into his pocket, Law brought out a granola bar he'd been saving for breakfast and tore off some small pieces to give the merman.

It took a few seconds after tossing the crumbs in, but the white-tailed creature slowly swam out to grab the pieces in his tiny hands. Now that the light was better, Law could see the thing was far from okay.

He had bruises across his chest, wounds on his head and tail, what appeared to be a broken arm, and it looked extremely pale. Not that he knew much about mermaid anatomy.

Still, he couldn't just leave the thing in a tide pool to garner infection and die.

Throwing a bunch of crumbs into the pool, Law rushed back to his car and grabbed a pair of work gloves and a small cooler he'd stocked with some emergency water bottles. Emptying it, the man carried it to the ocean where he dipped it in and filled it up about half-way.

Arriving back at the pool with his package, Law could see the little merman was getting nervous as it grabbed what crumbs it could hold and swam back into its corner. Placing the cooler right next to the tide pool and putting his gloves on, Law prepared to catch the merman.

It turned out to be quite a challenge.

The tiny thing was quick and always managed to slip out of his grasp. But, eventually, he succeeded in grabbing it around the waist and tail. As gently as he could, Law pulled it out of the water. The poor creature was terrified and thrashed around, desperate for freedom.

"Shhh… it's okay, let me help you." Law whispered as he put the merman into the cooler and closed the top over it. Taking his things back to the car, he secured the cooler in the front seat next to him, so it wouldn't move around too much.

Throughout the drive home, he kept glancing over at the cooler, thinking what Cora would say.


	3. Chapter 3

When Law arrived home, he immediately noted that Cora was visiting as the man's sedan was parked in front of his apartment. He'd moved out of his adoptive father's house a few months before once he'd saved up enough money for the security deposit on his new place. Though, it turned out to be more difficult than Law thought to keep up with the monthly rent.

Parking his car, Law sat for a moment just staring at the hopefully inconspicuous cooler in the passenger's seat.

'Why do I feel so…nervous…?' The tattooed man thought while gently gathering the tiny creature's container into his arms, 'I've seen way too many movies. The government isn't going to be after me or anything…'

Hiking up to the second floor, Law prayed Cora wasn't attempting to cook. The last time he'd tried, their home at nearly burned to the ground.

Thankfully, his father wasn't in the kitchen when Law entered the apartment but was lounging on the couch flipping between channels on the television.

"Ah, Law, you're back!" Cora exclaimed, putting the TV on mute, "How was your walk?"

"Er… interesting." He answered, still cradling the cooler, "I found something on the beach that you should see." Not waiting for the man to question him, Law moved into the kitchen and placed the cooler on the counter. Rifling through the cabinets, he pulled out a cookie tray with relatively high ridges and shoved it into Cora's hands.

"Fill that about half-way with water, I'll be right back."

Leaving a very confused Cora, Law jogged into his bedroom and pulled his trusty first-aid kit out of the closet. Throwing it onto his bed, the former doctor went through his bathroom sink cabinets until he had collected cotton balls, toothpicks, and a washcloth.

Re-entering the kitchen with laden arms, Law found his beloved father spread out on a suspiciously wet floor with the tray laying beside his head.

"Cora, are you okay?"

"Yes, yes, just slipped, that's all." The man grumbled, picking the tray up again, "I can do this!" Law rolled his eyes, instructed Cora to disinfect the cookie tray before trying again, and turned his attention to getting his medical instruments set up.

Once his father _finally_ succeeded at filling the tray up with water, Law took it from him and placed it on the center island next to his supplies.

"Law, are you going to tell me what this is about? What's the first-aid kit for? YOU'RE NOT HURT ARE YOU!?" Cora screamed, grabbing him and tilting his chin up.

"No, I'm not…hey stop that!" Law protested as the man lifted his arm gingerly, definitely checking for wounds, "It's not me that's hurt, it's…it's Mer-ya." Cora gave him a suspicious look.

"Mer? They're not in a gang, are they? If so, they should-"

"Cora, please!" Law groaned, grabbing the man by his shoulders, "He's not in a gang, he's in the cooler." At that, his father's eyes grew wide and he gasped, eyes flitting between him and the cooler.

"Oh. My. Lord. You've brought a head or some other severed body part into your brand-new kitchen… and you _named_ it!? I thought we were past this!?"

"What!? No! Why would you think that!?" Law yelled, "I promise you, there is _not_ a head in my cooler." His father breathed a sigh of relief and pulled him in for a quick hug.

"Oh good… but, if it's not a head, then what have you got in the cooler?"

Law huffed and pulled on his still damp work gloves before moving to stand in front of the cooler that was now right next to the water filled tray.

"What I found on the beach." He whispered while slowly sliding the top open. Taking them both by surprise, a stream of water shot out of the container, nailing Cora in the face. Holding up a gloved hand, Law was able to block the second attack while cupping the tiny creature gently.

It definitely didn't like that. Law cursed as the thing squirmed intensely in his grip, this time almost escaping.

"Cora, a little help please!" The young man hissed while trying to move the merman over to the water filled tray. In seconds, his father was next to him with oven mitts on. With Cora stabilizing Mer-ya's chest and neck, it was much easier to get him onto the tray.

Once the tiny creature was on the tray and released, he immediately tried to crawl away from them. That is, until his tiny arms collapsed under his weight. Law took a few deep breathes to calm his racing heart while Cora took off his mitts and knelt down next to the kitchen island, a look of awe on his face.

"I don't believe it… it's-it's a mermaid!"

"Merman, Cora. It's definitely male." Law corrected, cracking a smile at his father's amazed face.

"This is incredible!" Cora exclaimed, "The find of the century! Where-how-"

His father continued to ramble loudly making Law sigh in annoyance. It wasn't that big a deal. His attention was drawn away from Cora when a quiet whimper reached his ears.

Mer-ya was curled up into a ball, his broken arm clutched tightly to his chest. What was most concerning was the fact that he was trembling and… crying?

Immediately shushing Cora, Law leaned over the tiny merman and brushed wet raven hair out of its face, revealing red eyes and a quivering lip.

"I'm sorry, Mer-ya, were we too loud?" He asked quietly. The merman looked up at him, sniffled, and nodded while holding in a sob.

"You… you can understand us?" Cora asked, also in a whisper, earning a second nod.

"In that case," Law mumbled before fixing the small thing with a firm gaze, "Listen Mer-ya, my name is Trafalgar Law. You're injured. I happen to be a doctor and want to help you, if you'll let me." The merman shook his head vigorously and attempted to scoot away from them again, only to be stopped by Cora's large hand.

"It's okay, little guy," His father soothed, "My son is an excellent doctor and you can trust him, I promise!"

Mer-ya seemed to consider this for a moment and stared at Law intently, evaluating him. He then looked down at his battered body and severely bruised arm.

"O-Okay…"

Both Law and Cora started at the ridiculously tiny voice that came from the merman. It was rough, like he hadn't spoken in a while, but also quiet…and adorable. The creature looked up at him with watery eyes and swallowed hard before lowering himself onto his side, panting at the effort.

Law took that as a sign to begin.

Grabbing the washcloth, he started by dabbing gently at the merman's wounds, frowning when Mer-ya flinched and whimpered with every touch. He needed to disinfect them…

"Cora, could you get me some alcohol wipes please?"

"Of course!" His father replied before digging into the first-aid kit and passing the requested objects to Law. The tiny merman cried out when he pressed a wipe to his wounds, definitely in pain. Cora immediately ran a soothing finger over its hair, doing his best to keep Mer-ya calm.

On further inspection of the little one's tail, it was obvious that some scales had been ripped out and Law knew it needed to be wrapped.

"Mer-ya, is it okay if we move you out of the water?" Law questioned, "I need to bandage your wounds without them getting soggy." The merman nodded again and allowed Cora to pick him up without a struggle. Law quickly pulled out a plate and watched his father gently lay the tiny thing on it.

As he worked, it was obvious Mer-ya was in pain. The poor thing tried to hold in his whines and whimpers, to no avail. Cora looked almost in tears.

Once its tail was wrapped partially in bandages, Law noticed Mer-ya was looking a bit dried out. Cora seemed to have also noticed and rushed out of the room, quickly returning with a cotton swab which he dipped in water and wiped softly over Mer-ya's face and neck, where his gills were located.

It actually didn't take long to finish treating the tiny creature. The hardest part was fastening a splint for his arm out of toothpicks, some cotton, and string Cora had pulled out of his sowing kit.

Stepping back to admire his work, Law smiled reassuringly at the merman. He'd had to cut strips of gauze very small, but they did their job. Mer-ya curled in a little to look over his tail and chest curiously.

"I'm sorry if you're still in pain, but I've done what I can for now." Law whispered to the creature who was now looking up at him. "We can partially submerge you for now, but your bandages will need to be changed frequently until your wounds close up a little."

The merman sniffled and practically crawled into Law's waiting hands as they moved him back into the water filled tray. As he was releasing him, Mer-ya latched onto his thumb and rubbed a cheek against its pad.

"Thank you… T-Torao." He whispered before collapsing into the shallow water with a quiet whine.

Cora gave him a toothy smile and practically skipped over to him from around the island once it was obvious Mer-ya was asleep in the tray.

"He's so adorable, Law! Did you hear that, he called you 'Torao'! Isn't that precious!"

Law huffed and returned Cora's hug as they watched the creature's chest move up and down.

* * *

Katakuri growled as he tore into the meat of a sea king one of his siblings had brought for him. It was juicy and full of blood, just like he wanted it, but he really wasn't in the mood to enjoy it.

Not only had Cracker managed to lose the Silver-Scale in the Riptide Current, but Raftel's new ruler of a few hours had already declared his people enemies of the Kingdom!

'And to think I thought Dragon and the nobles were bad!' He fumed, snapping a large bone with his teeth, 'The nerve of this-this _servant_ to segregate us like this!' Katakuri had basically given up receiving aid from Raftel, especially under its new leadership.

They were on their own.

Luckily, Cracker _had_ managed to retain a few scales from the tiny royal before loosing him which he had immediately sent to Brulee. Katakuri could only wait to see if they were effective in cleansing some of the sickness, even without the prince.

A few minutes after he finished his meal, Cracker and Brulee swam into his chambers, which was little more than a large cave carved out of the cliff face of their ravine. Though, his loyal subjects did insist on decorating it and crafting things for him, like a bed. That was nice to have.

"Brother, good news!" Brulee called, swimming to a stop in front of him, "The scales worked! About a third of our people have been cured, at least temporarily." Katakuri sighed in relief.

"Wonderful. Though, temporary you say?"

"Yes, if we cannot cleanse the source of the pollution, I fear their sickness will return." Brulee replied with a sorrowful look on her face, "Three scales is simply not enough…"

Katakuri had been afraid of that, though it seems the tiny size of the scales made no difference in the potency of their magic.

"We need the Silver-Scale…" He groaned, "Unfortunately, he rocketed himself up onto the surface where retrieving him will be difficult."

The Scavenger King disliked humans and saw them as nothing more than stupid, squishy snacks. But they were also obsessive and held a dangerous intrigue with Merfolk. If the prince had been captured by them…

"We could organize a search party?" Cracker suggested meekly, "All we would need is some of a sea witch's magic charms and we'd look just like humans." Katakuri shook his head at the request.

"Unfortunately, us shark-Mer retain our normal size even in the skin of a human. We'd stand out too much. I am also reluctant to send any of our warriors away in such an uncertain time." He replied, saddened by Cracker's defeated look, "Don't lose heart, little brother, we'll retrieve the young prince eventually. For now, we need to focus on strengthening our defenses and protecting our people."

His siblings bowed in agreement and made to swim out of his chambers, but stopped when one of Katakuri's guards swam in.

"Forgive me for interrupting, my King." The guard said, a little out of breath, "I have come to inform you that we have captured some small-Mer on the outskirts of our territory. They appear to be of Raftel."

Immediately intrigued, Katakuri and his siblings followed the guard to the "throne room" that backed up against the cliff face. He could see that there were three small-Mer being held at spear point in front of his throne (well… it was just a really big rock).

Picking up his pace and surpassing his siblings, Katakuri swam down and stopped in front of their new captives. They were quite funny looking with one having green hair, one with a strange swirly eyebrow, and the last cowering one had an abnormally long nose.

"What a surprise to have guests from the great city so soon after the Summit." Katakuri growled, chucking to himself when the smallest one trembled in fear, "Was Raftel's new leadership not to your liking?" The one with algae-colored hair glared up at him and swam forward as much as his captors would allow.

"Don't give us that crap, Scavenger. We're here for the second prince and won't leave without him!"

Katakuri had to admit, the little warrior's attitude was amusing, though the blonde one didn't seem to think so.

"Zoro, what the hell!? He's a King, not a common criminal!"

"So? If he's got Luffy, he's an enemy of mine!" The blonde one then smacked 'Zoro' on the head and forced him into a bow.

"Forgive him, Your Majesty, he's a bit rude."

Katakuri raised an eyebrow at the new speaker's more… polite… tone. His words didn't match his cold eyes.

"O-Oi, are you two trying to get us killed!?" The frightened one asked in a quivering voice from his hiding place behind them. That sparked a full-fledged argument between the three of them, making his guards look at him with questioning gazes.

"Stop your pointless bickering!" Katakuri demanded, silencing them immediately, "For the record, the second prince escaped us in the Riptide Current and is currently somewhere on the surface."

The three small-Mer looked at each other with worried expressions and began whispering in low tones. As Katakuri watched them, an idea came to him.

'These three seem to be guards are perhaps servants to the young prince, though their concern gives away their attachment. Perhaps I can exploit that…'

* * *

Sanji was startled out of his intense conversation with Zoro and Usopp when the two were ripped away from him by burly shark-Mer. Yelling in protest, he tried to swim to them, but was held back when two guards grabbed his arms.

"Let them go!" He yelled up to the Scavenger King, who had a somewhat unnerving neutral expression on his face. What was he trying to do!?

"Your arrival is most timely," The massive shark said with a smirk, "We were actually just deliberating how to retrieve the prince from the surface, and now there is a way."

"What are you talking about?" Sanji growled, thrashing against his own captors.

"Let's make a deal…" The King sneered as he swam lazily around the cook, "You seem more level headed than your friends, so consider my offer carefully."

Sanji swallowed nervously and nodded, prompting the Scavenger King to continue,

"As I'm sure you're aware, we cannot don an appropriate human guise without drawing suspicion. However, _you_ can. Bring me the young prince and your friends can go free."

The chef ground his teeth in frustration. This wasn't how it was supposed to go, but Zoro just _had_ to charge straight into a Scavenger patrol without even considering their strength! Now, it was Luffy or them… With a motion of his head, the King ordered swords held against Zoro and Usopp's throats, making Sanji freeze.

"Wait, I'll do it!" He yelled, managing to break free from his captor's loosening grip and swimming forward a bit, "That is, if you swear not to hurt them."

"On my honor, they will not be harmed." The King swore firmly, "Tell me your name, boy."

"Sanji."

"I suggest you swim swiftly, _Sanji,"_ The massive shark-Mer warned, "my patience has limits. In two-months' time, bring the prince to Akh-Shorn Reef and make sure he's unaware of the exchange or forfeit your friend's lives."

Sanji looked up into Zoro's eyes, noting the determination there. The marimo nodded discreetly to him.

'Stupid marimo...' The chef thought as he turned and swam towards the open ocean, 'His recklessness is what got us into this situation in the first place!'

During the coup, Sanji and Zoro had fought their way into the cave where the royals were taken, only to find it empty. Swimming around desperately, they'd located a terrified Usopp who said he'd seen a tiny (likely cursed) Luffy kidnapped from one of Teach's men by a shark. This, of course, prompted their rescue mission.

Luffy was more than their prince, he was their friend…the one who'd given them better lives. His endless optimism and kindness seemed to have no end. So how could they leave him in the hands of the Scavengers!?

That being said, diving into the current and attacking a large group of scavengers had definitely not been the way to go, but it was impossible to stop a determined and angry Zoro (unless you were Luffy).

'And now, I'm being forced to deliver Luffy into the hands of the enemy…' Sanji mused with a frustrated hiss. But, in reality, the prince would likely understand, which made it even more painful. The idiot was always willing to sacrifice everything for his friends, regardless of status. That was one of his qualities that made him so damn likable.

Sighing, Sanji increased his speed and made for the Kelp Forrest, where the sea witches dwelt.


	4. Chapter 4

Leaving the tiny merman in Cora's care, Law drove into town to see what he could find for his new… guest. He had no intention of keeping the half-fish in a cookie tray forever and frankly, Law didn't know much about the anatomy of aquatic animals, so he wasn't sure how to properly treat the creature's tail.

While he was out, Law made sure to pick up some groceries for himself (and some extra granola bars for his guest) before entering the local pet shop.

'Surely someone here knows more about fish then I do.' Law thought as he made his way towards the sales counter.

"Hey there!" A red-haired man chirped when he approached, "Can I help you find something?"

"Actually, I was hoping you could give me some advice." Law asked, placing his grocery bags on the floor of the shop, "This morning, I rescued an injured… fish… that was trapped in a tide pool and brought it home. It seems to have lost some scales and I want to make sure I'm treating it properly."

"Really?" The clerk questioned with an excited gleam in his eyes, "Good for you, man! Well, do you know what kind of fish it is?"

Law swallowed nervously at the question and cleared his throat thoroughly before answering.

"N-No… I don't. It's about six inches long with silver, almost white, scales."

He could tell that the red-haired clerk was taken aback at his description, but he had to describe the merman at least a little to get an accurate idea of how to treat it.

"Really…could be an…yeah, sounds like an albino! That's super rare, ya know!" The man exclaimed, leaning over the counter, "How lucky are you to come across something like that!"

Law huffed in annoyance as the clerk rambled a bit about the environment and different types of fish. This gave him an opportunity to examine the red-haired man who was wearing a button-up, short sleeve, black shirt with brown shorts and sandals, a typical beach look. What really caught Law's attention was the unique shell necklace around the man's neck. He wasn't sure why, but it seemed to draw him in as it shimmered in the sunlight. Shaking his head, Law wondered if the guy could just give him the information… he needed to get home to make sure Cora hadn't killed the merman by accident.

"Dahahaha, sorry about that. I get passionate sometimes!" The clerk said sheepishly, "Listen, here's what I would recommend…"

The man, named Shanks, ended up sending Law home with some medication to help treat the merman's tail along with some pamphlets and coupons for a new aquarium. He knew it was probably a good idea to purchase one eventually, but could he afford it? The merman wasn't exactly a beta fish.

* * *

Back at the pet store, Shanks was puzzled. The young man's description of the fish he'd found sounded suspiciously like a certain prince he knew. But Anchor wasn't six-inches long, not even as a fry… could he have lied to keep the fact that he'd kidnapped a Mer secret? Or maybe Shanks was overreacting, and the tattooed customer really had just found an albino fish.

Sighing, the red-head ran a hand through his hair.

"Honey, is everything all right?" A sweet voice asked prompting a smile from Shanks. He spun around and caught Makino in a gentle hug.

"Everything's perfect now that my lovely wife is here!" Shanks exclaimed, pressing a light kiss to her forehead before leaning down to run a hand over Makino's swollen belly, "And how's our baby girl doing?"

"Just fine," Makino whispered as she drew close to Shanks and pulled lightly on his hair, "Now, what is it. You can't fool me."

Wasn't that the truth.

Dropping his smile, Shanks motioned for Makino to move to the back of the store while he temporarily put up the CLOSED sign. Once they were alone, Makino crossed her arms, resting them on her bloated belly. Gosh, she looked great pregnant… Shanks knew he was a very lucky man.

"It's probably nothing, Makino, but…"

"It's not _them,_ is it?" She asked in a whisper, suddenly looking nervous. Shanks shook his head and pulled her in for a hug.

"No, it's not them, I've been extremely careful to keep our presence hidden. A young man came in today asking for advice on treating an albino fish he rescued… or so he says."

"So, what's bothering you?"

"…he gave a very vague description, but I immediately thought about Anchor, Dragon's son." Makino looked surprised and hummed into his chest.

"Do you think this young man is capable of holding a Mer prince against his will?"

Shanks wasn't sure, but he needed to check it out just to be safe. If Luffy really was on the surface, he was in grave danger, especially if _they_ found him.

* * *

When Luffy woke up, he immediately groaned in pain. It felt like his head was full of _rocks_ or something! Blinking, Luffy recognized the strange plate thing the humans had placed him in, still half-full of now lukewarm water.

Looking down at himself, the prince grimaced at his tail now covered in what the dark-haired human had called "bandages". They reminded Luffy of seaweed or kelp. On top of that, his torso also had kelp wraps and his arm was held straight with wood and fluff of some kind. Biting his quivering lip, Luffy curled up into a tight ball, honestly really frightened.

He'd never met humans before, and as small as he was, it was really scary.

"Hey, you're awake!" A voice called, startling Luffy. It was the funny looking human… who the prince had previously dubbed the "loud-one". Thankfully, now the human was whispering and knelt next to the tray. "Are you feeling okay? Law will be back any minute now."

Luffy didn't reply and simply stared up at the human in fright. They'd helped him, but who knows what they intended to do with him now. Usopp always told him horror stories of Mer who'd swam too close to the surface and were snatched up by humans to be killed, or worse.

'I don't want to be _eaten!'_ Luffy sobbed, pushing himself away from the big-scary human, 'I want to go home, to Ace and Dad…' Of course, this brought up the recent memory of the coup. Suddenly, all Luffy could see was his Father's bloody body and Ace's limp one.

'I'm so w-weak… I couldn't protect anyone!'

The Mer then turned his back on the human and curled up against the edge of the strange plate thing, so his captor couldn't see his tears. Luffy was a prince and should be strong, but right now, all he wanted to do was cry.

He could hear the human saying something, but Luffy ignored him and pulled himself flush to the side of the thing keeping the water in. If they were going to hurt him, why didn't they just do it already?

Suddenly, a loud bang sounded throughout the human dwelling. Tensing, Luffy recognized the voice of the healer human.

"What did you do, Cora!?"

"N-Nothing, I swear! He woke up only a few minutes ago."

The room went silent for a moment before Luffy felt something rub over his back. He immediately went stock still as one of the humans ran their fingers gently over his skin. Since he was turned around, Luffy couldn't tell which one it was.

"Shhh… it's okay, Mer-ya, you're safe." A deep voice drawled as the warm hand moved up to his head and massaged his neck a little. Against his will, Luffy felt his guard dropping. The pressure felt so nice and his body instinctively began to relax. Before he went completely limp to the feeling (obviously some kind of human trick or attack), Luffy rolled over quickly and sank his sharp teeth into what was revealed as the dark-haired human's hand, right between the index finger and the thumb.

'Not today, human!' Luffy cheered inwardly, as the younger one yelped and pulled his hand back. Growling, he pushed his back against the side of his strange prison and looked between the two humans with a growing feeling of fear. With a gulp, Luffy pushed that feeling down and barred his teeth up at them.

* * *

Law nursed his now bleeding hand as he watched Mer-ya snarl up at them. It really wasn't that intimidating considering the creature's size, but it was now very clear that his guest was a predator. Batting away, Cora's hands, Law quickly bandaged his injury.

With every move, Mer-ya's eyes would follow him, tracking his movements. The poor thing was definitely scared, and Law wasn't sure how to make him trust them. After taking a moment to think, he turned to his adoptive father and said,

"Go home, Cora. I need to be alone with Mer-ya." Raising a hand to keep Cora from protesting, Law gave him a serious look. It was obvious they weren't getting anywhere together, so he intended to try something alone, and hopefully less intimidating for the tiny creature.

"What about your job?" Cora asked as he made his way to the front door, "Don't you have work this afternoon?"

"I'll call in sick." Law replied, knowing he couldn't leave the merman alone just yet, "If I need you, I'll let you know." Once Cora was gone, he sent a quick text to Nami letting her know he wasn't coming in and walked back into the kitchen.

The merman was still tense and eyed him nervously. Deciding to go with his gut, Law walked over to the stove, flipped it on, and took some raw meat out of the fridge. Maybe some food would help calm the creature down.

Law noticed immediately that the merman was interested as he made a little keening sound and pulled himself towards the meat. Pretending he hadn't noticed, Law placed the chicken on the pan and wafted the smell towards his tiny guest.

By the time he had finished cooking the meat, Mer-ya was up on the edge of the cookie tray, eyes fixed on the chicken. Cutting it up into tiny pieces, Law took his bowl of chicken pieces and sat at the island on the one bar stool he could currently afford.

Mer-ya slid back down into the tray, splashing some water onto the counter top.

"Listen, Mer-ya, I'm not going to hurt you." He whispered, "In fact, I cooked this meat up just for you." Law then pulled out a warm piece of meat with a fork and held it out for the creature to smell. "You like meat, yes?"

The merman nodded, swallowing hard and licking over his sharp teeth.

Law smiled and moved the fork closer, so the merman could pull the piece off and tear into it. Mer-ya consumed the piece so fast that Law almost thought he missed it. The creature licked his fingers and then looked up at him in anticipation, obviously wanting more.

Amazingly, the tiny creature consumed all six packages of chicken he had in the fridge. How could something so small have such a voracious appetite!?

"You certainly eat a lot…" Law whispered under his breath. If the merman stayed with him, getting enough food could become a problem. But the food had done its job, and now the merman was much calmer and seemed content.

"Thanks…" Mer-ya whispered, pushing himself up onto his hands, "That meat was really good."

"No problem." Law replied, leaning forward a little, "May I ask what your name is?"

"L-Luffy. Monkey D. Luffy… Torao." The creature replied, wincing when he moved his tail a little too much, "Sorry I bit your hand… I thought you were a bad human, but since you gave me meat, you must be good."

The merman, Luffy, said that like it was a true test of character, so Law decided to not question it.

"How did you get in the tide pool? And, if you don't mind me asking, are all mermaids as small as you?" Law asked, trying not to pepper Luffy with too many questions all at once. The creature drooped at that, tears threatening to pour out of his eyes.

"I-It's… um…could you help me out of this thing first?"

Law then moved Luffy into a wide bowl that he filled with water, though he first took the opportunity to change the merman's bandages and add the medicine to the warm water. He made sure Luffy knew about the medicine just in case it scared him or made his wounds burn or something.

Picking up the bowl, Law moved the merman to his dining room table, so he could sit comfortably next to Luffy. The tiny creature seemed pleased with the new arrangements and nuzzled his face into one folded arm (his non-broken one) on the edge of the bowl.

"Thanks, Torao… this feels nice…" Luffy drawled, humming contently. Law smiled and sat patiently, waiting for the merman to speak again. It took a few minutes, but eventually Luffy's squeaky voice broke the silence.

"I... I…my home was taken over." He started, "One of our servants started a coup and destroyed the city." Okay, that was not what Law had expected to hear. Luffy continued, "Since my Dad's the King, or-or _was_ the King, he can wield a trident that has been passed down in my family for generations. But, Teach, he made his own weapon from dark magic and took us by surprise."

"Wait, wait!" Law interrupted, "You're a prince!?" Luffy nodded.

"Yeah, though my older brother, Ace, is the first prince."

So, he had apparently rescued a mermaid prince… cool.

"My Father, he was hurt and-and Ace-" Luffy's voice broke, "I don't know if he's o-okay or not!" Law wasn't sure how to comfort the poor thing as he didn't want to get bit again if he crossed the line or something. He didn't know enough about mermaid culture to confidently act.

"How did you escape, Luffy-ya?"

"Ah… I was kidnapped by Shark-Mer." Luffy informed him, "Though I got shrunk first by Teach's dark magic. I'm normally not that much smaller than you from head to tail."

"I see…" Law whispered. That made sense and it correlated with what Cora had always told him about the Mer races. "So, you were cursed-"

"Yeah, basically. I have no idea how to reverse it."

"-and kidnapped by sharks? I take it these sharks are not allies of yours."

"No." Luffy huffed, shifting in the bowl, "They call themselves the Scavengers and they want to use me to cleanse some pollution or something. But I was able to escape in the Riptide Current and… well I went too fast and ended up where you found me."

That was a lot of information to take in and Law honestly wasn't sure what to say. But, he also felt like he _needed_ to take care of Luffy. The merman was just so small and defenseless... In the back of his mind, he thought that maybe doing a good deed would help offset all the horrible things he'd done under Doflamingo. Of course, Law knew that in reality, it didn't work like that. He was a criminal, and that would never change, it would be on his record forever. And yet, here he was, talking to a cursed Mer prince who needed his help...

'Oh, screw it!' Law thought, feeling determined, 'Someone needs my help and I'll be damned if I let my personal issues get in the way!' He then cleared his throat to get Luffy's now wandering attention.

"You're welcome to stay with me until you heal."

"Will you help me break the curse?" Luffy asked with big, hopeful eyes.

"Um… I can try, Luffy-ya, but we don't know much about magic here on land."

Luffy cheered, apparently not hearing the last part, and flicked his tail up and down in excitement. Law sighed as he watched the little fish-boy celebrate in one of his bowls.

'Seriously, what have I gotten myself into?'

* * *

Down by the beach, some men in suits were meticulously checking the shore for whatever had set off their sensors early that morning. They went through every crevice, every tide pool, leaving no rock unturned. After all, their job was to protect the citizens of their country from _all_ potential threats.

The leader of the men stood a little way away from the ocean, so he could survey the beach, noting any abnormalities. As the main force for the Division of Supernatural Deterrent and Research, they had a lot on their plate. Unfortunately, that included babysitting a new recruit, who, in his humble opinion, was to soft for the DSDR.

The pink-haired boy was poking around in a tide pool, at least following directions.

It had been a long time since they'd actually come into contact with a Mer, though it _had_ happened. The research section begged him to capture a creature, if there was one, as there hadn't been sightings in years. Though, that was easier said than done. The fish-people were smart, and many times emerged from the ocean in the guise of a human.

They _were,_ however, grateful that the Shark types generally stayed away from land, only occasionally attacking boats out at sea which was easily covered up.

"S-Sir!" The new recruit called, "I think I found something!"

Making his way over, Lucci pushed the boy aside and knelt to get a better look at the pool of water. Dipping his hand in, the agent pulled it out slowly, revealing tiny scales that shone in the sunlight. Turning them over with a finger, Lucci frowned at the size but also at the color.

"Get these back to the lab and sweep the area! Bag anything that seems out of place."

Leaving his team to their job, Lucci pulled out his phone and called the head of DSDR.

 _"Did you find anything?"_ A gruff voice said, not bothering with pleasantries.

"We found scales, but they're much too small to be a full-grown or even a child Mer."

_"I see… strange."_

"They are also not colored, but almost white. Very different from the Merfolk we've come across before. Could it be a new species?"

_"Hmmm, perhaps. Good work, Lucci, bring them to the lab. I want your team on stand-by just in case this fish slipped into the city."_

"Roger."

Lucci hung up and looked out over the ocean. If a Mer had somehow gotten on land, no matter how small, they _would_ find it.


	5. Chapter 5

The next few days of Law's life were filled with new and exciting things including, but not limited to: taking care of an injured Mer prince, spending his paycheck on packets of meat for said prince, and…signing up for a mermaid fan-club.

In his defense, Cora was the culprit. Apparently, he wanted Law to learn all he could about Mer and decided he should consult some "experts" on the topic (like having an actual merman currently living in his trifle bowl wasn't enough).

The group met once a week at the Goa Community Center, and Law was determined not to go.

'Like hell I'll be caught dead with those weirdos.' He determined as he angrily made a ham sandwich for a customer. Law couldn't afford to miss more than a few days of work if he wanted to have enough money to pay his rent. Of course, that meant leaving Cora to watch over Luffy…

Though the prince was healing incredibly fast, Law knew from experience how much damage Cora could do to small, unsuspecting creatures. The man couldn't sneeze without stepping on some poor animal.

"Oi, easy on the bread!" Nami scolded from her spot up front at the register, "I know you don't like it, but it's for a _paying_ customer, so watch it!"

Law rolled his eyes at the fiery-haired woman but stopped squishing the bread into his workspace. Nami was one of Bellemere's daughters and, unfortunately, one of the mangers of the Tangerine. He preferred Nojiko immensely.

Thankfully, there weren't too many customers so Law could focus on cleaning the kitchen and equipment, out of view of the main café area. He was grateful for the job opportunity, but customer service really wasn't his thing.

As he cleaned the sink, Law couldn't help but think about Luffy. The little Mer's healing abilities were truly incredible! It had only taken a few days for his broken arm to heal completely and his missing scales were nearly good as new, having started to grow back not long after he'd treated him the first time. He hoped Luffy was doing okay in his current accommodations…

Law was startled out of his musing by the back door opening and his ragged looking co-worker barging in.

"Ah… d-did I make it?" The pink-haired boy gasped, "Am I late?" Law smirked and leaned on the sink with his arms crossed.

"Very late and, too bad for you, Nami's here today." He teased, chuckling at the terrified expression he'd caused. Coby annoyed him with his wimpy and pathetic demeanor, but it was entertaining to watch him grovel at Nami's feet, begging for forgiveness almost every other week.

From what he knew, Coby had just recently started some sort of internship that had a habit of making him late for work, not that he cared. The kid wasn't his friend or anything.

A few minutes later, and much to Law's amusement, Nami stormed into the kitchen and eyed Coby angrily.

"P-Please forgive me, Ma'am!" Coby whimpered, "It wasn't my f-fault you see! T-There was a-a thing and-"

Nami silenced the sniveling teen with a glare, said nothing, and pointed to where Law knew the staff office was located. Coby was definitely going to get an ear-full though he doubted Nami would fire him, considering how hard it was for them to find employees that stuck around. Bellemere and her daughters weren't exactly the easiest people to work for.

"Law, could you cover the register while I lecture this idiot?" Nami asked with a sweet smile.

Law sighed but did as he was asked and trudged out to the front counter. Maybe if he was lucky, they wouldn't have any customers.

Unfortunately, he did have to serve a good number of people, many of whom weren't the kindest people. One guy practically chewed him out for taking too long to brew his coffee. Law held his tongue but did "accidently" drop it and have to start over, just to make the guy wait even longer.

About forty-five minutes into his shift at the register, Law considered going to check on Nami and Coby. How long did it take to lecture someone!?

His next customer was a woman wearing ridiculously tall heels and a blouse that didn't leave much to the imagination. She leaned on the counter and pressed her chest towards him.

"Hey handsome, I love your tattoos…they're so… tribal…"

Law huffed and scowled at the woman, refusing to look down her shirt like she wanted. He didn't understand why women would do things like this, it really wasn't attractive, at least not to him. With his looks, Law had to deal with flirting all the time.

Thankfully, he was able to get the woman her order and send her on her way rather quickly. Seriously, where was Nami? Hell, he'd settle for Coby. Anything to get him back to the quiet of the kitchen and stock rooms.

"Coffee, black." A gruff voice ordered, bringing him back to the task at hand. Law raised an eyebrow at the familiar officer standing in front of his register.

"Smoker-ya… this is a surprise." Law politely said as he rung up the man's drink.

"I like Bellemere's coffee." The man replied, taking a drag out of his cigar. Law snorted and turned to make Smoker's drink. He wasn't stupid, he knew that his parole officer was here to see him.

Five minutes later, Law was relieved of his duty by Coby (who looked a little shaken… as usual) and went to join Smoker at Nami's coaxing. Before he sat down, Law made himself a cup of equally black coffee to help calm his nerves.

Not that he had anything to hide…aside from the mythical creature he'd picked up. But there was no need to mention that.

"How's working for Bellemere?" Smoker asked while putting his cigar down on a tray. Law huffed and took a long sip of his drink before answering.

"She's… tough." Law answered, taking his time to find the right word to describe Nami's mother. There really wasn't anyone like Bellemere.

"Isn't that the truth." Smoker snorted, "I'd wager there's hardly any criminals left in Goa who would dare to cross her."

Bellemere was a detective at the same station as Smoker and had an impressive conviction rate. But she was also a firm believer in second chances, hence hiring Law. Though he supposed Cora might have had something to do with it as well. The two were an odd couple… a bad-ass detective and clumsy Cora who worked at a gift shop down by the pier.

Law and Smoker talked for about an hour with the officer asking him all the usual questions, checking in to make sure he wasn't getting back into something he shouldn't. He also asked if Law had been contacted by anyone of suspicious character lately, such as Eustass Kidd, to which he replied that he hadn't. Thankfully, the red-headed gangster was keeping his distance, for now, and he hadn't heard from Doflamingo and his "family" in years.

"I'm glad you're adjusting well, Trafalgar." Smoker admitted before taking a long gulp of his now lukewarm coffee, "Sounds like Corazon has done a good job with you."

"Yes, I owe him a lot." Law said with a small smile. Cora had sacrificed everything to get him away from Doflamingo, and he was eternally grateful.

"He called me earlier today… said you've joined some 'Mermaid Club'?" Smoker asked with a smirk, "Taking after your father?" Law groaned and buried his face in his hand.

"Cora told you!? Unbelievable… it's some club he signed me up for, against my will."

"You should go." Smoker encouraged, "Everyone needs a hobby, and why not follow in Corazon's footsteps with mythology and folklore. Besides, you need friends."

Law gaped at Smoker who lit his cigar with a lighter he pulled from his pocket.

"I-I don't need friends. I'm perfectly happy-"

He stopped as Smoker stood up abruptly and put some money on the table.

"I'll tell you what, go to the meeting and I'll let you off the hook for therapy this week."

The tattooed male wasn't sure what to say to that but nodded. As much as he hated to admit it, a Mermaid Club sounded more interesting than his bi-weekly therapy sessions. Law was required to go to therapy as part of his parole. Dr. Kobato was nice enough, but her sessions weren't exactly fun.

"Good man. Say hello to your father for me." Smoker said as he left, waving a gloved hand leisurely. Law cracked a smile and went to move back to the kitchen. The white-haired man could be strict but was the first police officer (aside from Bellmere) who Law felt he could trust.

Soon he was back in the kitchen, organizing food and equipment with Coby who had been sent back with him as there was a lull in customers. They worked in silence, and it was nice. Gave him the opportunity to think about Luffy and how he was going to fix his… problem. Where would one go to learn about breaking Mer curses?

'A Mermaid Club… I suppose.'

* * *

Sanji swam warily through the Kelp Forest with his eyes open for any danger. He'd only ever met one Sea Witch and he hoped the beautiful lady would be here now. There were many witches, and not all of them had good intentions.

In fact, he'd heard stories of Mer who'd been ensnared by a Sea Witch's spell and forced to do atrocious things, either that or remain a slave for the rest of their lives.

Though, Sanji had to admit, being a gorgeous woman's slave didn't sound too terrible.

He swam on, eventually finding himself lost amongst the massive kelp stalks. Sanji cursed in frustration as one of the plants hit him in the face.

'How hard is it to find a Sea Witch!?'

Suddenly, the water was filled with the sweet sound of a female voice, calling to him. It was the most beautiful thing he'd ever heard. Everything around him faded away as Sanji swam towards the source of the singing, content to abandon his quest if only to lay eyes on the singer.

He was startled out of his trance when two sea sponges were forced over his ears, obscuring the enticing song. Turning, Sanji's eyes widened at the gorgeous creature who'd saved him. She had the top half of a Mer or human, but her bottom half was that of an octopus. Dark purple tentacles swirled around her, keeping the lithe form upright. Sanji recognized the witch as the one who'd visited Raftel a few years before to help take care of a particularly annoying outbreak of barnacles.

Before Sanji could speak, she put a finger to her lips and motioned that he follow her. Nodding, he swam after her, impressed with how fast the witch could swim. Eventually, they came to a cave with the mouth obscured by kelp, likely for security. Soon, they were alone and he gently removed the sponges from his ears.

"AHHH, my beautiful lady!" Sanji exclaimed with hearts in his eyes, "I am in your debt and will gladly do whatever you wish of me in payment!" The witch chuckled and settled back on a smooth stone.

"Be careful what you wish for, or you might just get in over your head." She spoke melodically, "My name is Robin, it's a pleasure to see you again."

"And I am Sanji, your humble servant!" He said with a deep bow. Robin crossed her arms under her large bust (which was covered by a strapless top, exposing her midriff) and smiled softly at him. In that moment, Sanji thanked the Scavenger King for sending him here so he could gaze upon Robin's beauty.

"You are very kind. Now, I do believe you are here for a specific reason?" Robin asked, "One having to do with a certain prince?"

"Yes…" Sanji replied, forcing himself to be serious for at least a few moments, "The Scavenger King has taken my friends and wants to exchange them for Luffy." Robin nodded and beckoned him over, which he did gladly.

"I see, you have a heavy burden to bear." She soothed, pulling his head in to rest on her gorgeous shoulder. Sanji melted into her as Robin ran delicate fingers through his hair, "Tell me, is it true the prince is currently on the surface?"

"Yes, my lady." He crooned, enjoying the attention, "I came here to request one of your charms so that I could go retrieve him."

"You intend to take your Prince to the Scavenger King?"

At that, Sanji forced himself to sit up, unable to continue receiving the lady's ministrations as the guilt hit him.

"I-I… I have no choice. If I don't, Zoro and Usopp will be killed." He said quietly, "With Raftel occupied, I can't see any other way."

Robin closed her eyes for a moment and smiled at him again as she moved over to a shelf made out of the surrounding stone. She reached into a basket and pulled out a necklace before swimming back over to him.

"Use this to travel to the surface," Robin informed him, "As long as you have it on, you will appear as a human. But know that exposure to salt water will turn you back into your Mer form."

Sanji took the necklace from Robin and couldn't help but think it was a little… gaudy… with its large sea shell and surrounding white pearls. But he wouldn't dare turn down such a precious gift from a beautiful lady.

"Thank you, Lady Robin." He said with a deep bow, "I will treasure it and return it to you as soon as I am able."

"You're welcome. Please allow my apprentice to see you out. We wouldn't want you getting lost again, hmmm?" Robin teased, making Sanji blush in embarrassment. She then called out to someone farther back in the cave. A few seconds later, a young Mer swam out, still a fry from the looks of her.

"Aisa, please be a dear and lead our guest out of the forest."

"Okay, Ma'am!" The little one exclaimed, swimming to take Sanji's hand. Before they could leave, Robin stopped them.

"Sanji, do not worry about the young prince. I have seen a… companion." She explained somewhat cryptically, "Someone who will watch over him in these tumultuous times. So, do what you must without fear."

The blonde Mer bowed again to Robin and allowed Aisa to pull him out of the cave. Sooner than he thought, they were back at the entrance to the forest.

"Well, that's that!" Aisa said with a grin. Sanji ruffled her hair.

"Thank you for being my guide, Miss Aisa. I'm sure you'll be a great and beautiful Sea Witch someday." The young apprentice giggled and sped off back into the forest.

Sanji smiled and turned to stare into the open sea. He tightened his grip on the charm necklace and grit his teeth.

'I can't believe I'm doing this…'

He wanted nothing more than to storm back into the Scavenger's territory and-and… do something! Anything but betray Luffy. Sanji could practically see Luffy's understanding gaze as he gave him over to the Scavengers. The idiot wouldn't hold it against him, hell he'd probably encourage it.

But that didn't make it right.

'Looks like I'll have to rely on this… companion…' Sanji mused as he started his long swim, 'Whoever they are… hopefully a pretty lady.'

* * *

When Law returned home that evening, he was tired. All he wanted to do was fall into his bed and sleep. But first, he needed to make sure Luffy was okay and send Cora home.

Law found the pair in the living room watching a cartoon of some sort. Cora was seated on the couch munching on some pop-corn while Luffy was leaning on the rim of the water filled trifle bowl. The tiny merman's tail was flipping back and forth lazily as he watched the show with big eyes and a giant grin.

The door latching alerted both of his guests to his arrival.

"Welcome home, Torao!" Luffy called before diving into his bowl and swimming in fast circles, maybe because he was excited? Cora waved.

"How was your day?"

"Fine. How was everything here?"

"Great! Luffy's healing up ridiculously fast!" Cora informed him, "He also loves the TV, cartoons especially."

Law put his stuff down as he listened and went to the fridge, only to find it nearly empty.

"Ah… Luffy also eats a ton…"

Sighing, Law pulled out carrots and some humus to have for dinner as the fish he'd been saving for when he got home was gone.

"It's getting late so I'd better head out." Cora said while gathering his coat, "Call me anytime, Law. Watching Luffy was fun!"

"Yeah, yeah, good night." Law mumbled as he bit into a carrot.

"Bye, Mr. Cora!" Luffy called from his bowl, "Thanks for cooking all that meat for me!" Cora cleared his throat and left before Law could question that. Knowing his father like he did, Luffy probably asked for food and Cora gave it to him like the pushover he was.

Moving to the couch, Law examined Luffy. The little Mer looked healthy aside from scattered bruising on his torso and some scales that were still growing back.

"Ne, Torao!" Luffy chirped, "Your magic box is so cool!"

"Thanks… it's a television though."

"Yeah, a magic box!"

Law chuckled, thinking how strange it was to have someone else in his house… someone to welcome him home and talk to. It was nice... almost domestic. Except for the fact that the person he was talking to was splashing around in his only trifle bowl.

"What were you doing all day?" Luffy asked, "You were gone for a long time."

"I was working." Law replied, watching as the merman's head tilted in confusion.

"Working? Why?"

"To make money. I have to buy food and pay someone every month to continue living here."

"But… this is your dwelling, right? Why do you have to pay?" Luffy asked, tilting his head in confusion.

"It's actually not mine, Luffy-ya." Law explained, "I'm… borrowing it. As long as I pay a certain amount each month and keep it in good shape, I can stay."

Law wasn't sure Luffy understood, but he didn't try to explain anymore. He was tired and wanted to go take a nice shower and go to sleep. When he stood up, Luffy pushed himself up out of the water a little.

"W-Wait! Where are you going?" Luffy exclaimed, a nervous expression crossing his tiny face.

"To bed, Luffy-ya."

"Oh… o-okay…" Luffy whispered, sinking back into the water dejectedly. Law furrowed his brow and sat back down.

"What is it?" He questioned, not sure why the merman was acting like he was.

"I just…I don't want to stop talking to you." Luffy admitted, "I missed you when you left."

Luffy missed him? They'd known each other for a few days, and his house guest missed him when he was gone? Law stared down at the merman, unsure of how to reply. After a long bout of silence, Luffy's eyes started to water and he sunk down lower.

"Sorry… I didn't mean to-"

"It's all right, Luffy-ya." Law soothed quickly, "We can talk a little while longer if you want." The creature's eyes lit up and he nodded vigorously.

They ended up talking for the next hour, mostly about Law's day and how the magic box worked. Eventually, he simply couldn't keep going and his eyes drooped. Luffy seemed to notice and stopped rambling to examine him.

"You should go sleep, Torao. Sleep is important, almost as much as meat."

"It certainly is…" Law mumbled, standing up. Before walking to his room, he leaned over and picked up Luffy's bowl. The merman dove underneath the water and pressed his face against the glass as he was moved into Law's bedroom.

Placing Luffy's current home on his dresser that was across from his bed, Law went to take a shower. As the warm water cascaded down his back, he smiled.

Luffy was just so… warm… like sunshine. Law hoped the Mer would stay for a long while.

* * *

Luffy swam around his small domain and surveyed Torao's room. It wasn't much to look at, but it fit the human…neat and cozy at the same time.

He felt that he was very lucky to have been found by Torao and not someone else. Not all humans were as nice as his was.

Soon, Torao re-entered the room, this time without a shirt on. Luffy's eyes widened at the man's many tattoos. He's seen the ones on his arms and hands, but to think he had this many…so cool! The human said goodnight to him and crawled into bed.

Luffy chuckled at how fast the human fell asleep. He had definitely been tired. The prince wasn't sure why, but he felt a certain connection to Torao, like he should protect him and just… be with him. Pushing his feelings down for the moment, Luffy curled up into a ball at the bottom of the dish.

He didn't fall asleep right away as he wanted to keep watch over his human, his Torao, but eventually his eyes fell closed and he was swept into the world of dreams.

* * *

Ace groaned as he awoke, his entire body aching. He was back in in the dungeon of Raftel after yet another "session" with Teach. Did the crazy bastard actually think he was going to submit to him and become his-his _mate!?_ Frankly, he'd rather die.

There wasn't enough torture in the world that could convince him otherwise. Apparently, the Mer's original plan was to brainwash him or something using that trident of his, but it hadn't worked. So now, he was resorting to good old-fashioned torture.

Ace wasn't sure why the black magic hadn't affected him, but he was glad it hadn't. He was no one's puppet.

He wasn't sure where Dragon was but Teach assured him, he was alive. And as for his baby brother…one of his guards let it slip that Luffy had been taken by sharks during the invasion. Ace could only hope that he was being treated better then he was. The Scavenger King seemed fairly honorable and needed Lu alive for his purposes.

Discounting everything, watching Teach try to run a kingdom was entertaining. For all his boasting, the Mer had no idea how politics worked. He'd already managed to sever ties with all of the neighboring kingdoms which meant no trade and no support, economic or otherwise. But that also meant that the people of Raftel, the common Mer that were left, had to suffer from his incompetence.

'I need to get out of here.' Ace determined as he tested the strength of his manacles. He wasn't sure where he'd go, but anywhere else would be preferable to a cell. Of course, that was easier said than done as the chains were enchanted and severed his connection to his ability.

"Awake, are we?" A voice taunted, prompting a snarl from Ace. It was Burgess, one of Teach's goons.

"What do you want, asshole?"

"The Boss wants you to join him for dinner."

"After he beat the crap out of me!? Like hell!"

"He said you'd react like that…" Burgess laughed as he entered the cell and pulled him up so their faces were inches apart, "Sorry, but you don't have a choice."


	6. Chapter 6

Teach sighed as he looked over his newly acquired kingdom, cold eyes scanning the once bright and lively city. He definitely preferred Raftel quelled and dark, less annoying. Though, managing such a large kingdom was proving to be more of a challenge than he'd originally thought.

Naturally, Teach's first order of business was cutting ties with neighboring nations. After all, _his_ Raftel had no need of alliances and friendly trade. They could take care of themselves. Unfortunately, the next step in his plan was…delayed, thanks to a certain sorcerer's magic not working.

Doc Q insisted there was nothing wrong with the trident or its plethora of dark magic, and yet it hadn't done what he was promised! Ace still resisted him and since his idiotic subordinates lost the second prince, his very important hostage, there was nothing Teach could do to make the fiery Royal behave! He would use Dragon, but the former King's ancient magic kicked in not long after the battle ended (likely because his life was seriously in danger) and sealed the Mer inside a cocoon of pure light crystal.

Dragon was still technically a prisoner, but what good was he if Teach couldn't reach him! For now, they'd put the crystallized and hibernating Mer in the dungeon so Doc Q could work on breaking the crystal apart.

'The magic worked fine on his brother, so why not Ace?' Teach mused while straightening the plates at the dinner table, 'It was a different type of magic, but if anyone _should_ be resistant to dark magic, it's a silver-scale. So why…'

He was drawn out of his thoughts when Burgess arrived, towing Ace along beside him. The crown prince snarled and snapped at his captor, struggling against the enchanted shackles holding his arms behind his back. As always, Teach was taken aback by the beauty of Ace's tail, its stunning color and impressive power.

"Ah, Ace, come join me!" He greeted with a smirk, chuckling when the young prince growled at him, "Lafitte prepared your favorite so please, don't hold back." Burgess dragged Ace over to the chair to Teach's right and wrapped a second chain around the prince's torso, securing him in place.

Teach began to eat once Burgess stepped back, tearing into the fish and assorted meats with gusto. Ace simply glared at him. Taking a succulent piece of meat, Teach held it up to his prisoner's face, scowling slightly when he turned his head away.

Though he didn't miss the way Ace eyed the meat hungerly.

"You know, if you would behave, I could take the chains away."

Ace snorted and flicked his tail up, hard. Hard enough to blow most of the food up and into the churned water.

"Go to hell, Teach. I'll _never_ submit to you."

He sighed, wiping food off his chest. Even as a prisoner, Ace's spirit simply wouldn't falter.

"What a waste of good food…" Teach muttered before swimming in front of the crown prince and grabbing a fist full of his raven hair so their eyes met, "You can't resist me forever, Ace."

"Watch me, asshole." Ace spit with a sneer, showing off his sharp teeth.

Teach glowered down at the young Mer, frustrated. He wanted Ace by his side more than anything, but it was obvious his current techniques weren't effective. Releasing his hold on the prince's hair, he motioned for Burgess to take him away.

As he watched the prince be dragged out of the room, Teach ground his teeth together.

What to do…

* * *

"I want to come."

Law huffed at the little merman's insistent tone.

"Luffy-ya, I'm sorry, but I can't bring you, it's too risky. Plus, you'd be stuck in the cooler for hours which isn't exactly healthy."

"B-But I'm a Mer! It makes sense that I should go to a meeting about my kind!"

"No."

"I'll be quiet!"

"It's not happening, Luffy-ya."

The tiny creature jutted his lip out and stared into Law's eyes, begging. While it was certainly adorable, it wasn't enough to convince the doctor to bring an actual merman to a Mermaid Club meeting.

Law knelt down next to the coffee table, so he was a little closer to Luffy.

"I've already called Cora and he's going to come and watch you while I'm gone." Luffy sunk down slightly in his bowl, eyes watering and small body quivering.

"P-Please don't go, Torao…"

Law felt like a monster listening to Luffy's little sniffles and hiccups, but unfortunately, there was no way he could take the merman out…not safely anyway. He reached forward and cupped the tiny creature in his hands, moving him to a towel next to Luffy's bowl.

Bringing the now bundled up Mer prince to his lap, Law rubbed a finger over Luffy's hair and back soothingly. He didn't say anything and just let the little merman bask and enjoy the contact. Soon, Law had a snoozing Luffy in his lap, curled up in the towel.

One thing he'd discovered was that his new house guest was very needy. Luffy thrived on social and physical interactions. It was getting more and more difficult to leave him behind each day.

About fifteen minutes later, Cora arrived and took Luffy from him, promising to keep him damp and eventually return him to his bowl.

After a relatively short drive to the community center, Law stood in front of a very gaudy sign that read "Mermaid Club", reconsidering his decision to come. Was he really going to do this…?

"Ah…Hey!" An energetic voice called out from behind him, "You're that guy from the other day!"

Law turned around to see the red-haired clerk from the pet store smiling at him.

"Oh, hello again." He greeted politely, "Er…I'm sorry, what was your name?"

"Shanks, it's a pleasure." The man stuck out his hand and shook Law's vigorously, "How's that fish of yours doing?"

"G-Good…thanks for asking." Law replied, stumbling over his words a bit. Maybe he was imagining it, but Shanks' eyes seemed to turn silver for a moment as he looked intensely at him. The red-haired man was smiling but…it was intimidating.

As sudden as the feeling of unease came, it left as Shanks led him into the Mermaid Club's room with a bright grin. Apparently, the clerk was one of the main sponsors and contributors to the group.

Unsurprising considering his impressive knowledge of marine life.

Inside the room, a few people had already arrived, though Law honestly wasn't sure how many to expect. Shanks immediately took charge and sat him down in one of the chairs arranged in a circle before saying,

"All right, looks like most of us are already here, so let's begin! First of all, we have a newcomer with us today, so let's all go around and introduce ourselves."

The first to introduce himself was a strange looking man with a green mohawk and a nose ring.

"Yo, I'm Bartolomeo! Nice to meet ya, uh, tattooed stranger!"

"His name is Trafalgar Law." Shanks interrupted with a chuckle before turning to Law, "Bartolomeo is a graduate student at Goa's own Red Line University. He's studying to be a marine biologist, same as me."

Law returned Bartolomeo's greeting with a thin smile before switching his gaze back to Shanks. How did he know his name? He'd never introduced himself…ah…it had to be on the application Cora sent in, and if Shanks was part of the leadership, it made sense that he would know.

Having convinced himself that Shanks was _not_ a creepy stalker, Law turned to the next member, a woman with pink hair and a ring in her right cheek. She attempted to say something, but the slice of pizza in her mouth muffled whatever she was trying to say.

"This is Bonney, our resident hacker, developer, and food enthusiast!" Shanks put in, "It's thanks to her that we can compile so much research and information on topics of interest."

"What he said." Bonney managed, finally swallowing her pizza, "So…Trafalgar…you a criminal?"

"Pardon?" Law hissed with wide eyes. Shanks laughed and threw his arm around him.

"Sorry about her, she doesn't really have a filter."

"Just curious." Bonney said bluntly, "It doesn't really matter to me or any of us for that matter. We all have pasts."

Law swallowed and nodded, not sure how to respond.

There were two other people to whom he was introduced: Cavendish, a very narcissistic man who is apparently an artist (and an actor, singer, dancer…he went on about himself for approximately fifteen minutes before Shanks cut him off), and Rebecca, a nervous girl with Bonney's pink hair and kind eyes.

"Hmmm…we're missing one person, but I guess he's not coming today." Shanks pondered, looking over some papers on a clipboard, "Well, Bartolomeo, why don't you start us off!"

Honestly, the Mermaid Club wasn't anything like Law imagined. Some of the members were experts in marine biology and had very interesting research and photos to show everyone of fish and spots around the coast where mermaids had supposedly been sighted.

After the more scientific start, Cavendish showed off his newest "piece of beautiful art" that featured a blonde mermaid with a light blue tail, one he claimed to have glimpsed while doing yoga on his family's yacht the day before.

"Our eyes met, and it was as if Cupid struck my heart!" Cavendish exclaimed, "…not with love, no, certainly not love, but with INSPIRATION!"

Law looked over the painting and found himself impressed; it really was quite good. One thing he didn't understand was why the mermaid had such a strange, curly eyebrow… or why her breasts were so unnaturally large.

"Oi…are you sure she looked like that?" Bonney questioned, "The proportions are off and that's not like you."

"O-Of course she did!" Cavendish insisted, "My art is always beautiful!"

Law found himself drawn into the dynamic of the club, chuckling and taking jabs at Bartolomeo and Cavendish, the easiest ones to mess with. Rebecca didn't appear to have much knowledge about mermaids but was interested none the less. Surprising Law, all of them claimed to have seen a Mer at some point in their lives.

"You too, Rebecca-ya?" He asked, making the young woman blush.

"Y-Yes…when I was a little girl, my family went out to fish in our boat, but we were caught in a storm and I fell overboard. I-I honestly don't remember much, but I definitely remember that someone saved me, and he had a beautiful tail."

"Ah!" Cavendish blurted out loudly, "SUCH WONDERFUL ROMANCE!"

"Stuff it, blondie." Bonney chided, elbowing the man in the ribs and motioning for the younger girl to go on.

"I remember he was just a little older than me…" Rebecca continued while wringing her hands together nervously, "and had a silver tail, almost white."

Law swallowed hard, a mental picture of Luffy filling his thoughts.

"Rebecca's had one of the closest encounters of all of us." Shanks informed him, "Say, Law, have you ever seen a Mer?"

He immediately felt like he was being interrogated as everyone's eyes landed on him. Shanks' gaze in particular felt like it was piercing through his soul.

"…no…no I haven't." Law lied, flinching as Shanks' eyes narrowed for a split second.

"Eh, really? That's too bad, but don't worry, I'm sure you'll have your own story soon enough."

The remaining minutes of the club consisted of sharing theories about Mer magic and eating muffins Rebecca brought. Law almost spoke up to ask about curses but decided not to. For some reason, he felt the need to keep a low profile and not draw more attention to himself.

Despite everything, Law did enjoy himself and learned a lot about the current conception of Merfolk. Unfortunately, nothing about breaking curses. Once Shanks ended the meeting, Law said his goodbyes and headed out to his car, ready to go home and spend time with Luffy.

* * *

Shanks packed up his things and began the walk home, which was only a few blocks from the community center. Thinking back on his interactions with Law, the red-haired man was now positive the human was hiding something…possibly a certain Mer prince.

'Maybe I should just go confront him? I have his address from the application…'

Suddenly, his phone rang, breaking the silence.

"Hello?"

_"Akagami."_

Shanks frowned at the familiar voice.

"Any particular reason you're calling me out of the blue? I already told you I'm not helping in your war, not when I have Makino to protect."

_"That's your own fault for falling in love with a human, but I digress, every man has his own tastes."_

"What do you want?" Shanks pushed, not wanting to spend any more time talking to this man than he needed to.

_"The humans have increased their patrol frequency and are getting…nosey. I don't suppose you know anything about it?"_

"No idea." Shanks replied quickly.

_"Is that so...I can only assume it's due to an increase in Mer migration to the surface, or perhaps they're on another hunt. It's so difficult to tell without all the facts. Humans are fickle creatures after all. Do be careful, Akagami, they can be dangerous."_

Shanks huffed, politely (and aggressively) said goodbye, and hung up.

'I need to find out if Luffy really is on the surface before things get out of control.'

It wasn't just the humans he needed to protect the prince from…

* * *

Taking a drag from his cigar, a man put his phone away. Akagami was always so secretive. Someday, he hoped to get the powerful Mer on his side.

"Sir, I believe that's him."

Turning to look out the car window, he watched the tattooed human drive up to the apartment complex, get out, and walk up the stairs to the second floor.

"I've connected to the smart TV camera, so we should be able to see inside." His subordinate informed him as he typed away on his lap top. While he waited, the man fiddled with his charmed ring, one of many rings (though those were just decorative), before resting the hand on the cool metal of his hook, where the opposite appendage used to be.

Minutes later, he took the computer and watched a tiny, albino Mer swimming around in a bowl, happy to see the tattooed human.

'So, he really is here…'

He'd know that aggravating smile anywhere.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All right, ya'll. Round one of 'stuff starts getting complicated for Law' starts now ;) ENJOY!

"Torao, you're back!" Luffy chirped happily from his bowl as Law closed the front door behind him, "Look Mr. Cora, he's back!"

"I can see that." Cora chuckled, muting the television, "How was the club? Better than you expected or pure hell?" Law sighed and took a moment before answering to remove his shoes and plant himself on the couch. Luffy pulled himself up on the edge of his bowl and beamed up at him, making a warm feeling blossom in his chest.

There was something special about having someone waiting for you when you got home…it was nice.

"It wasn't too bad, they're all a bit strange though." The doctor explained, leaning forward to give Luffy his index finger to nudge and hug like the little merman obviously wanted, "One of them I actually met before at the pet store, said his name was…Shanks-ya I think? Anyway, they all-"

Law stopped short when Luffy stilled, no longer nuzzling into his finger. Puzzled, the doctor switched his gaze from Cora to the little merman.

"Is something wrong, Luffy-ya?"

"D-D…" He tried, voice quiet, "Did you say Shanks?"

Law nodded, still very confused.

"What did he look like?"

"Er…bright red hair, scars over his left eye-"

Luffy pulled away from Law's hand, shock apparent on his face.

"I-I know him! He's a Mer like me!"

What. WHAT. But…that was impossible! Wasn't it? Law met Cora's equally shocked gaze, not sure what to say. Shanks seemed so…human.

"How is that possible?" Cora questioned, "Is your kind capable of living on the surface?" Luffy nodded.

"Yeah, but we need some kind of enchanted charm. I've never used one, but they supposedly give you human skin." The little merman explained, tail twitching beneath him, "Shanks was my teacher when I was a fry, he's a great and powerful warrior."

"What's he doing in Goa running a pet store and a Mermaid Club?" Law asked, thoughts moving to the shell necklace he'd noted the red-haired man wearing. Could that be his charm?

"Dunno…" Luffy said while tilting his head in thought, "Shanks left Raftel a long time ago, twelve years now. Dad never told me where he went, just that he wouldn't be coming back anytime soon."

That was as far as their conversation went, interrupted by Luffy's stomach demanding food. After a hardy snack of potato chips and blueberries, Cora excused himself, needing to get home as he worked early in the morning the next day.

"Be careful, Cora." Law warned, "There's no moon tonight, so it's quite dark out there."

"Don't worry, I'm an excellent driver!"

Law huffed and pushed his adoptive father out the door. Being a good driver had nothing to do with it…if it was dark, it made driving more difficult.

He stood out on the breezeway and watched Cora drive off, relieved he'd managed to exit the parking lot without hitting any cars…or street lamps. The man wasn't the most _aware_ driver. Just as Law was about to return to his apartment, something caught his eye.

A black sedan parked directly across the street from the complex.

Instinctively, Law felt his training and knowledge from his time under Doflamingo surface. His grey eyes scanned the vehicle, obscured by the darkness of the night.

'Tinted windows…replaceable license plates…' He catalogued inwardly, nervousness starting to bubble up inside his stomach. Either his delusional fear about being stalked by a secret government agency after Luffy was true, or-

A light flickered in the front passenger seat, briefly illuminating the person sitting there. They inhaled sharply and blew out a stream of smoke, all the while locking gaze with Law, who gulped.

This man wasn't government. Those were the eyes of a hardened gangster, a killer.

Just like him.

Law gathered his courage and glared back, making the other smirk. Seconds later, the sedan started up and the man waved a tan hand before rolling up the window completely.

He memorized the license plate as the car sped away, even though he knew it was probably a fake.

A bit lightheaded, the tattooed man rushed back inside, breathing hard. Law didn't recognize the man in the sedan, but what if-

"Torao!? Are you okay?"

Turning, Law met Luffy's big, worried eyes and stumbled over to the couch.

"I…I'm not sure." He stuttered, dropping his head into his sweating hands. The poor little creature obviously didn't understand why he was distressed but tried to comfort him as best he could with a light thrum from his chest.

Calming himself, Law tried to think rationally.

The worst possible situation was that the man was sent by Doflamingo to bring him and Cora back, or kill them. He did cost the man quite a bit of money and resources when he got arrested. Another possible scenario was the man was a rival mob boss that had a bone to pick with him, Cora, or even Doflamingo…

'What should I do?!' Law thought furiously, wanting to pull his hair out. Why did his past always come crawling back to bite him?

* * *

_"W-What?" Law stuttered, backing up from the sight in front of him, "I can't do that!"_

_"Fufufu, sure you can…" Doflamingo cackled, placing the scalpel in his shaking hand, "You're a surgeon, how is this any different?"_

_Law shook, trembling much like the man tied to a table in the tiny room was. He knew the guy, a member of a rival gang._

_"Didn't you say you wanted to prove yourself, Law?" Doflamingo said softly, circling him, "All I need is information from this piece of trash. Do that for me, and I'll make sure you get more of this…the good kind."_

_The teen swallowed at the sight of a needle and familiar substance held out to him, he_ wanted _it. After a few seconds of nothing, Doflamingo sighed and pocketed the bag._

_"Honestly…it seems Rocinante really has you under his thumb, it's like you have no free will. Too bad-"_

_"I have free will!" Law yelled, grabbing Doflamingo by the coat, "I'm my own person! Cora can't control me!"_

_"Then do it, my little Surgeon…show me your will."_

* * *

Law woke up with a start, sweating profusely.

Needless to say, after the incident with the sedan, he hadn't slept very well, and the dreams weren't helping.

That incident had been the first, his first torture session. Though that man hadn't been killed by his hand, many others had. It'd earned him the nickname Surgeon of Death, and he was ashamed to say he did it willingly, all for the promise of prestige, money, and drugs.

Had he not been arrested and supported by Cora, who knew where he'd be now…probably dead or in prison for life. Law had only gotten three years thanks to Cora's connections and testimony that didn't include his…murders. It was more than he deserved.

"…Torao…?"

The little merman was nearly out of his bowl on the dresser, tail swishing worriedly. What concerned Law were the barely noticeable dark circles under the creature's eyes.

"Luffy-ya, did you not sleep last night?" He asked, eyes flicking to the sun filled window.

"How could I!?" Luffy exclaimed, voice breaking, "I was scared! You were thrashing around and-and I…I…" The little Mer began to sniffle and buried his face in his folded arms, breaking Law's heart.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to scare you like that." He soothed, moving to the bowl and running a finger over Luffy's damp hair, "I haven't had nightmares like this in a while…"

"N-Nightmares?" Luffy whispered, looking up at Law with wet eyes, "Ace always says it's good to talk about bad dreams, so they don't come back."

"I'm not sure it's that simple." Law replied, now smiling. Luffy was so simple and innocent.

He scooped up the little Mer in a damp wash cloth and settled down on his bed, enjoying the company. Luffy seemed to as well, content to curl up and thrum, like a purring kitten. As he ran two fingers down the little one's spine, Law couldn't help but think he didn't deserve this…he was technically a serial killer after all.

What if he dirtied… _sullied,_ this pure creature with the blood on his hands?

"Ne, Torao." Luffy said suddenly, twisting to look up at him, "Can we go outside today? I like your house and all, but I wanna see the sun!"

Law considered that for a moment. Maybe it would do them some good to get outside and relax for a while. As long as they didn't wander into any suspicious alleys and Luffy stayed out of sight, they should be safe enough.

"All right, let's do it."

Hopefully, Coby could cover his shift.

* * *

A few hours later, Law was walking around the beachfront enjoying the fresh air, looking for a good place to buy a cup of coffee, and trying to keep a rambunctious merman inside of his (or rather Cora's) tote bag.

It was a bit gaudy and really not his style with blue waves and yellow surf boards all over it, but it was all Law could come up with since Luffy refused the cooler saying he "wanted to see everything". In a moment of ingenuity, he placed a large plastic bag inside the tote, secured it with duct tape, and filled it with water.

The bag was maybe a quarter to halfway full of water so it wouldn't spill out when he walked, and the zipper was partially closed to give Luffy some cover. Also, since Cora's belongings tended to be a bit ragged, there were lots of holes in the tote, allowing Luffy to see out from most angles.

Despite his genius, Law had never felt more awkward in his life. At least Luffy seemed happy if his little gasps of awe were anything to go by.

"Look Torao, that lady's selling something, OH, and that guy, can we go over there?"

Law sighed, readjusting the tote on his shoulder. If Luffy was any louder, people other than the occasional child were going to give him strange looks.

Eventually, Law relented and took them into a small café where he ordered a coffee for himself and a muffin for his passenger, which he tore up and dropped into his bag as discretely as possible. If anyone asked, he would just have to pass Luffy off as a dog or something.

All in all, sitting at a table overlooking the ocean with Luffy (sort of) was soothing and helped him forget what happened the night before. That is, until a random stranger came and joined him at the table.

"Um…can I help you?" Law questioned, using his left hand to move Luffy's bag a little closer to his legs. The man was tan with a serious face and wore an expensive looking suit.

"Yes, I believe so…" He said, leaning forward on his hands, "Trafalgar Law, my boss wishes to meet with you."

"…and who is your boss?" Law asked, eyes narrowed.

"Someone who can help with your 'little problem'."

"I'm afraid I don't understand-"

"I am, of course, speaking of the Mer prince hidden in that bag."

Law's breath hitched and he felt Luffy stiffen from inside the tote.

"Who the hell are you?" The he whispered, hand slowly tightening around the bag's handle, getting ready to run. The stranger didn't move and met Law's gaze, cold and unrelenting.

"You can call me Bones and I would think twice about trying to run."

The man quickly pulled a gun and moved it smoothly under the table, barrel pointed at him. Two other men appeared seemingly out of the shadows and flanked Law; jackets slightly open so he could see their pistols.

Taking a deep breath, Law slowly reached down and brought Luffy's bag up into his lap, whispering for the little creature to stay down as he tried to stick his head out.

"Stay quiet and come with us, Trafalgar." Bones stated in a low voice, "Cooperate, and you won't be harmed."

Law grit his teeth and desperately looked around for something or _someone_ who could help. It was the middle of the day, damn it, people didn't get kidnapped like this! He made to stand, but a gun pushed into his back, stopping his movement completely.

"Let me make this clear for you." One of the men behind him whispered, shoving the barrel harder against his spine, "The Boss doesn't particularly care about you, just the prince. We have permission to kill you if you cause too much trouble, so don't get any ideas."

Not given much choice, he walked with the three men, clutching his bag tightly.

Law tried to make eye contact with people, to let them know his situation, but no one noticed or attempted to help him. Eventually they broke away from the crowd and walked into an alley where a familiar sedan was waiting. He was startled when one of the men tried to yank Luffy's bag away from him, but he latched onto it tightly.

"Don't you _dare_ try to take him from me!" Law growled, baring his teeth. The goon glared and made for the bag again, only for Bones to stop him.

"Enough. Let him carry the prince, there's no harm in it for now." The man then turned to Law, "That is, if he behaves and allows himself to be restrained."

Scowling at Bones, Law gently placed Luffy's bag on the ground and allowed his wrists to be handcuffed in front of him.

After being thoroughly searched, he was buckled into the back seat of the sedan with Goon 1 beside him, gun resting on his lap. Bones took the passenger seat and Goon 2 was driving.

"Torao, you okay?" Luffy asked, breaking the silence and poking his upper body out of the bag. Goon 1 made like he was going to push the Mer back inside the bag but stopped at Luffy's threatening growl.

"Touch me, and you'll lose a finger, human."

Law was surprised at Luffy's deep, threatening tone. It was strikingly different from his usual bubbly personality.

"Leave him be." Bones put in, glancing back, "It's not worth it."

Luffy growled at their kidnapper before turning to Law and rubbing against the inside of his forearm with his tiny cheek.

"Sorry…looks like this is my fault, huh?"

"I've been in worse situations, so don't worry about it." Law reassured, "For now, focus on keeping wet. I wouldn't want you to dry out." Luffy nodded and reluctantly lowered himself back into the bag, splashing water onto Law's cuffed hands.

What really worried him, aside from Luffy, was the fact that their kidnappers didn't seem to care about Law seeing where they were going. In his experience, this meant they intended to kill them.

Or…at least Law, which sucked.

The drive took about thirty minutes, taking them to a surprisingly nice building on the other side of town. Goon 2 entered an underground garage and parked the car, indicating they had reached their destination.

"Get out."

Goon 1 pushed Law out of the vehicle and flanked him yet again with Goon 2 moving to grab his opposite arm. Bones walked in front of him and suddenly ripped Luffy's bag out of his hands.

"Oi! I thought you said-"

"From here, we do things a little differently." Bones commanded, placing the tote on a nearby metal table and pulling out a pair of thick gloves.

Law struggled violently as Luffy was grabbed and taken out of the bag, one hand around his arms and waist, the other on his tail.

"Let me go!" He yelled, snapping at the gloves and flipping his tail around, to no avail. Bones used a protected thumb and pushed it up against Luffy's jaw, forcing his head backwards. It was obviously uncomfortable and forced the Mer's mouth closed. His eyes widened as blood trickled between his lips and down the Mer's tiny chin.

"Stop it, you're hurting him!" Law exclaimed, eyes wide as Luffy's thrashing stopped and he went limp in the man's grip.

Bones said nothing, only motioning with his head for the two men to bring Law. He was dragged along into an elevator where at least he could see Luffy better, who's mouth was clenched shut. The Mer gave him a thin smile as best he could, as if to say, 'I'm okay, don't worry.'

They exited on the top floor into an extravagant room, decorated in dark shades of maroon and gold accents. There were large windows everywhere and a roaring fire place that lit up a sitting room to their left.

Bones led the way into a room to the right of the elevator where a large desk was illuminated by an arched window, giving a view of the ocean in the distance.

The chair was tall but turned towards the window, so Law wasn't sure if someone was actually sitting in it or not.

He was manhandled into a chair facing the desk while Bones placed Luffy, surprisingly gentle with him, directly onto the wooden desk. Now free, the little Mer took a deep breath, spit out globs of blood, and laid still for a moment, eyes unfocused.

"I apologize for the rough handling," A deep voice boomed from the large chair behind the desk, "but I know how feisty you are, so I instructed Bones in the Break Maneuver, a technique that is much easier to perform given your current size."

Luffy coughed and pushed himself up onto his arms, still a bit shaky. Law could only assume the Break Maneuver was something used in Mer culture. Suddenly, the chair swiveled around, revealing a familiar face.

Unsurprisingly, it was the man from the night before.

Now up close, Law examined him closely. He had slicked back black hair, dark skin, and a scar across his face from ear to ear. What was most surprising was the golden hook attached to his left hand…or maybe that _was_ his left hand.

'Who the hell is this guy?'

"Y-You?" Luffy muttered, seemingly surprised, "I thought you *cough* were dead?" The man leaned forward on his hands, looming over the small Mer.

"That's simply what I wanted Dragon to think, he's quite easy to fool. Imagine my surprise when I learned the second prince had arrived on the surface, cursed of all things."

Luffy stiffened as the man ran his hook under his chin, forcing his head upwards, and making Law's blood pressure skyrocket.

"There are so many things I could do to you in this state…it would be so simple…" The man whispered, nicking Luffy's shoulder, "But I won't, not when you're still so useful to me."

Law let out a quiet sigh of relief when the man removed his hook from Luffy's neck.

"What do you want, Crocodile?" The little Mer asked softly, wiping blood from his mouth. That name was familiar to Law…where had he heard it before?

"There are many things I want, little prince," Crocodile jeered, "Revenge, scales, _your servitude_ …the list is quite long. But first… I want what you want, this pesky curse broken."

Law was surprised, after all, if he wanted revenge on Luffy for something, it would be much easier to exact if he was tiny…right?

"I…don't understand." Law whispered, voicing his confusion and drawing everyone's confusion.

"Ah…Trafalgar Law…" Crocodile said with a smirk, "I know all about you. How ironic that you've become the prince's protector…you too have skills that are valuable to me, but unfortunately, are not mine to utilize."

"What?" He questioned, not liking how that sounded. Crocodile simply chuckled and turned his attention back to Luffy, who was looking a bit dried out.

"Allow me to make this simple for you, I am willing to break your curse because you will make much larger waves on the surface at your full strength, effectively drawing that damn human organization's attention away from me. Naturally, I intend to take a few other things on my list from you, but not your life." He explained deviously, "Should you resist, Trafalgar here will pay the price."

"…fine…" Luffy said through gritted teeth, "Do whatever you want with me, but leave Torao out of it, this has nothing to do with him." Crocodile laughed.

"I'm afraid he is in this more than you know, it was thanks to him we found you after all."

Law's stomach dropped.

"An old acquaintance of mine informed me of your location, and of your existence, prince." Crocodile sneered, pinning Law in place with his gaze,

"Joker sends his regards."


	8. Chapter 8

Law paced back and forth across the cell he'd been thrown into, frantically trying to calm his nerves. Crocodile and his goons had separated him and Luffy hours ago, taking the struggling prince somewhere else while he'd been locked up.

His prison was small, with only a cot, a sink, and a small toilet taking up space. There were no windows and the metal door was solid. Law's only source of light was a small lightbulb hanging from the ceiling.

Honestly, it was reminiscent of Doflamingo's dungeon. On the surface, his home was grand and full of expensive trinkets, but underneath all the show and lights, there was only death.

'I hope Luffy-ya's all right…' Law thought, lowering himself onto the smelly mattress. Suddenly, he heard keys rattle and the door to his cell opened.

Immediately, he stood up and was met with the barrel of a gun.

"Sit down, Trafalgar." It was Bones, accompanied by a goon and, surprisingly, Crocodile himself. The man waited patiently for a chair to be set up in front of Law, smoking his cigar and examining Law closely.

"Where is Luffy-ya?" He asked, seated again.

"Resting." Crocodile answered while sitting down so he was directly across from Law.

"What the hell did you do to him!?"

The man chuckled, petting a hand over his hook.

"Nothing much, just took a few scales and ran some tests. Unsurprisingly, he's quite resistant to dark magic, though that brings into question how he was cursed in the first place." Crocodile explained lowly, "He wanted to see you and got a little… _rambunctious._ Nothing a sedative couldn't handle."

Law scowled at the Mer in front of him, angry he'd re-injured Luffy after he'd just grown those scales back. Plus, at his current size, it would be dangerously easy to give him too much medication.

"Relax." Crocodile ordered with a sneer, "We didn't overdose him or anything. Believe it or not, he's no use to me dead."

"Then it should serve your purposes to let me see him. I am a doctor." Law said smoothly, glancing up at the gun still pointed at his head. Were they here to kill him?

"Yes, the Surgeon of Death, if I recall." Crocodile replied, taking a moment to blow smoke up towards the ceiling, "Doflamingo always spoke very highly of you, that is, until you were caught."

Law stood up, ignoring Bones and the goon for a moment. Eyes narrow and fists clenched, he grabbed Crocodile by the collar.

"How the hell do you know so much about me!?" He whispered, not even flinching as two guns were placed on his temples. The gangster smirked and stood up to meet his gaze.

"We used to do a lot of business together, though under a different name. You might remember me as Mr. Zero."

Law's eyes widened in recognition. Mr. Zero was one of his uncle's top buyers. He had a particular love of weapons and exotic animals. Shocked as he was, it was simple for Bones and the goon to rip him away from Crocodile and slam his head against the wall.

Dizzy and bleeding, Law was thrown onto the floor at _Mr. Zero's_ feet. The man grabbed him by the hair and lifted him up, so their eyes met.

"Don't worry, Trafalgar, I'm not going to kill you." Crocodile said lowly, "Keeping you alive will make dealing with the prince easier." At that, Law was unceremoniously dropped to the floor where he laid still, trying to let his vision stabilize.

Just before the men left, Crocodile turned and chuckled.

"Plus, I imagine your uncle will want you back in one piece."

Law stilled, horrified at the thought of seeing Doflamingo again. Crocodile merely laughed and left, locking the metal door behind him.

They needed to escape, and fast.

* * *

Crocodile took a towel from Bones and wiped Trafalgar's blood from his hands as they made their way back to the higher levels of the building. Life on the surface was much better than under the sea…money, influence, _power._ He loved it all.

Exiting the elevator, the Mer walked into a metal room full of hooks, tables, and all sorts of torturous devices (though the only tools he'd used on his captive were tweezers and a scalpel). He preferred to keep work on a separate floor from his home, which was a few floors up.

Inside the cold room, the little prince lay unmoving on the table, placed in a shallow tray of water.

"Oi, he still breathing?" Crocodile asked the man he'd put in charge of the Mer while he went to speak with Trafalgar. How he'd enjoyed messing with the surgeon…

"Zero-chan!" Bon Clay exclaimed, jumping up from the stool, "How was your field trip?" Crocodile rolled his eyes, suddenly remembering how…eccentric Mr. Two was.

"Never mind that, I want an update on the prince."

"Of course!" Bon Clay chirped, twirling in place, "He's fine since I masterfully staunched the bleeding and have been dutifully watching over him! Don't you think the little dear would look just _dashing_ in this?"

Crocodile raised an eyebrow at the tiny, red poncho Mr. Two held up.

"Are you taking this seriously!?" Bones interrupted, "You're supposed to be guarding him, not making him a raincoat!"

"Ehhh…. you think I should've gone with blue? But red compliments his tail so well!"

Crocodile ignored his now fighting subordinates to loom over the unconscious prince. Monkey D. Luffy…the son of Dragon. How satisfying it was to see him weak and at his mercy. The little brat and his brother had foiled his plans in Alabasta, but ultimately led him to the surface where he'd thrived.

Bringing his hand up, Crocodile rubbed his fingers together, thinking how fun it would be to dry out the Mer in front of him with his ability. It would take time considering the prince's resistance, and it would be painful…

Though not a Royal, he'd developed a special ability through years of study (and indulgence in the forbidden arts). Unfortunately, it wasn't nearly as effective under the ocean, as he'd discovered in Alabasta.

Lowering his hand, the Mer ran his eyes over the boy's injured and swollen tail, a good number of scales torn from the soft flesh. He frowned remembering the prince's resistance, not screaming once despite the pain.

If anything, his resilience was impressive.

"Ne, Zero-chan." Mr. Two asked, spinning up to him to avoid a punch from Bones, "When he's normal sized again, what are you going to do with him?"

"He'll be a decoy." Crocodile explained, running his hook down the little prince's body, "I know for a fact that damn agency is looking for him, so I'll give them something to chase."

"Are you sure you don't want to just…kill him?" Bones asked while putting Mr. Two into a headlock.

"No…he's much too valuable. It would be a waste." Silver-Scales were rare and their uses endless. Even if the humans caught the prince, it wouldn't be difficult to…re-acquire him, should he desire.

"What about the surgeon?"

"Trafalgar will be given to Joker once my business with the prince is complete." Crocodile replied with a smirk. The man had delivered his prize to him after all…returning his surgeon was the least he could do.

* * *

Rocinante sat on the couch in Law's living room, staring down at his phone and a note scrawled in his son's handwriting. The paper explained that he'd taken Luffy out into town for some fresh air and anticipated they'd return in a few hours.

Now, two days later, Rocinante was certain something had happened to them.

Law always responded to his texts and calls within a few hours and certainly wouldn't stay somewhere else without telling him! The tall man clenched his hands in front of him, considering his options.

He should go to the police, Smoker and Bellemere were trustworthy. His girlfriend would definitely drop everything and rush over, determined to track Law down.

'…but…if it's _him.'_ Rocinante thought darkly, swallowing instinctively, 'If it's Doffy, I don't want to put them in that kind of danger.'

After everything that happened, he really didn't have anyone else to call for help…

'What am I going to do…?'

Suddenly, a knock sounded at the front door. Immediately on guard, Rocinante felt for his switchblade in his coat pocket. If it was the enemy, he'd make them talk. _No one_ hurt Law and got away with.

Sidling up to the front door, he looked through the peephole to see who it was…and stilled. Red-hair, scars on his face…is that-

Throwing the door open, Rocinante looked the startled man in the eyes and asked,

"Shanks right!?"

"Er…yes, that's me." The man replied, smiling somewhat awkwardly, "Sorry, I'm looking for Trafalgar Law, is this his residence?"

Not waiting for a reply, Rocinante pulled the man inside and slammed the door. Shanks turned around with a raised eyebrow.

"What-"

"Please, you have to help me!" Rocinante begged, grabbing Shanks by the collar, "Ithinkthey'vebeenkidnappedandtheymightbedeadI'mliterallyfreakingout-"

"Woah, woah, woah…calm down." The man soothed, firmly removing Roci's hands, "Why don't we sit down and take a breath. Then you can tell me what's going on…what was your name?"

"R-Rocinante. I'm Law's father."

Shanks nodded and smiled before leading the larger man over to the couch. Feeling a bit shaky, Roci pulled out a pack of cigarettes and tried to light one. He didn't really smoke anymore, only when he was stressed.

"So, what's this about?"

It took him a moment to calm down, but after a few puffs of his cigarette, Rocinante turned to face Shanks completely.

"You're…you're a Mer, right?"

The red-haired man's eyes widened for a second before immediately narrowing.

"How do you know that?" Shanks' tone was low and threatening. Rocinante took another drag.

"Luffy told Law and I about you."

"Monkey D. Luffy? Albino tail, second prince of Raftel?" The Mer rattled off; eyes deadly serious, "Please… _explain."_

So, Rocinante told Shanks everything, starting with how Law had found an injured and cursed Luffy, followed by how close they'd become over the past few weeks. He didn't leave anything out until the Mer was caught up to the current situation.

"I see." Shanks replied, smiling softly, "I'm glad he was found by such kind people."

"Yes…they hit it off right away." Roci replied, chuckling, "Though Luffy eats right through his paycheck."

"I bet he does! That kid's like a black hole." Shanks exclaimed, before becoming serious once again, "So, you think they're in trouble?"

Rocinante nodded, handing the man Law's note.

"I'm worried our past has caught up with us. We moved here to escape that life…but now-" Roci took a sharp breath before continuing, "Honestly, I don't know who I can turn to without putting them in danger." Shanks put a hand on his shoulder and smirked.

"Don't worry, I'll help you out."

"But… how?" Roci replied, nearly dropping his burning cigarette onto the carpet. Shanks reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone.

"Let's just say I know people who can help."

* * *

Three days.

Three _freaking_ days stuck in a tiny cell with limited sustenance and no sign of Luffy. Law was past the worried stage and needed to see the little Mer, to make sure he was okay. Unfortunately, Crocodile and his lackeys seemed to enjoy torturing him with silence and refused to reunite them.

The good news (if you could call it that) was that they'd been gone long enough now that Cora would be looking for them…hopefully.

'If they do manage to break Luffy-ya's curse, maybe he can break us out…' Law mused while taking another crack at picking the lock to his cell door. He backed up when voices carried down the hallway towards his prison. Another menial session with Crocodile? The Mer certainly enjoyed talking down to him.

Seconds later, Bones entered his cell with one other man who held handcuffs and a strip of cloth in his hands. That wasn't a good sign…

"Turn around, Trafalgar."

"Where are we going?" Law asked, reluctantly doing as he was told.

"Crocodile thinks he may be able to break the prince's curse and wants you to watch. Apparently, the process is quite… _rough."_

Law scowled while his hands were secured behind his back and the blindfold tied around his eyes. He wasn't pleased that Luffy was going to be hurt again, but perhaps this was their chance to escape!

His captors dragged him through the hallway into the elevator, where Law counted the number of "dings" and determined they'd gone six floors up. Eventually, they entered a room significantly warmer than the rest of the building.

"Ah, so glad you could join us, Trafalgar."

Law growled at the sound of Crocodile's deep voice. The Mer was somewhere in front of them…

Bones forced him to his knees and removed the blindfold, making him blink. The new room was bright and full of sunlight, likely because the glass roof. They appeared to be in some sort of roof-top garden.

It would have been beautiful if not for the creepy magic circle drawn into the stone patio, and the tiny form of Luffy laid in the center.

"Luffy-ya!" Law exclaimed, pulling against his captors. The tiny prince looked terrible with pale skin and dark circles under his eyes. Worst of all was his tail that looked like it had been through hell. The top half by his waist was especially bad, red irritated skin showing through the now unprotected areas.

How many scales did Crocodile take!?

At his call, Luffy weakly lifted his head up and tried to find him, though he didn't seem conscious enough to locate him. Law was angry and very concerned with how glazed over the tiny Mer's eyes appeared. Not to mention he was drying out in the sun.

"Now, now there'll be time for a… _proper_ reunion later." Crocodile sneered, walking around the magic circle so he was opposite him.

"I'LL KILL YOU FOR THIS!" Law bellowed, gnashing his teeth and straining against the arms holding him back. How dare he do this to Luffy! For his efforts, Bones forced him to the ground and shook him like a misbehaving child.

"Believe it or not, he's doing him a favor." The goon growled into his ear.

"So, what!" Law replied, angrily, "That doesn't give him the right to torture him like this!" Bones huffed, punched him in the gut, and hauled him back to his feet. As Law tried to catch his breath, Crocodile gently removed his coat and handed it to the weird guy standing a few feet away.

"Let's begin, shall we?"

Law's eyes widened as Crocodile reached over the circle and began chanting in a different language. Sand billowed up around him and the lines flickered a deep purple. The trees and flowers around them swayed as a strange wind picked up.

In the center of the circle, Luffy was lifted into the air and suspended a few feet above the patio. The tiny prince's head fell back as his body spasmed, trying to escape the dark tendrils snaking up his tail.

The lines of the circle began to spin and flew up into the air to surround Luffy even more, causing the sand to form a swirling spiral. Soon, the little Mer was completely eclipsed by sand and darkness.

Law swallowed in fear as the magic worked, terrified of what it was doing to Luffy. His fear spiked when he heard the prince scream.

"Stop, you're killing him!" He yelled; voice barely heard in the chaos. Seconds later, the sand exploded, and darkness shot up through the glass roof, shattering it. Law curled up to protect himself from the falling glass and breathed a sigh of relief as the roar of sand began to slow.

Once the air began to clear, Law peered desperately through the dust for any sign of Luffy. He could care less if it worked or not, all he wanted was the Mer to be alive.

Strangely enough, in Luffy's place was a strange…blob of liquid silver. It was fairly large and pulsed, as if it was alive. The blob slowly lowered itself down to the patio and hardened with a spine chilling _crack._

Tired of just watching, Law headbutted Bones and managed to wriggle free. No one stopped him as he sprinted up to the now hard crystal. It was large, almost as big as he was. Kneeling in front of it, Law's heart stopped.

It was Luffy.

The Mer was now what Law assumed to be his normal size, but was unconscious, encased in the crystal. Placing his ear on the crystal, he listened for a heartbeat, which thankfully came through strong.

He was alive.

Straightening up, Law examined Luffy further, noting his injuries were healing inside the crystal, much more quickly than normal.

"Ah, the ancient magic of the Royal family…" Crocodile drawled, stalking towards them. Law immediately moved to block his way, "Quite impressive, isn't it? Supposedly, it will only activate if the Royal's life is truly in danger."

"I thought you wanted him alive!?" Law growled, placing his cuffed hands against the cool crystal. Crocodile just laughed.

"Of course I do, but all dark magic takes a toll on those born in light. Had he not been a Royal, he'd probably be dead. Now, step away Trafalgar, it's time to break him apart."

Determined to protect Luffy, even with his hands unavailable, Law moved into a wider stance. Crocodile wouldn't hurt him anymore!

But, before anything could happen, a loud knock sounded from the door to the garden. No one moved and Crocodile seemed confused. Another knock came, and this time, the door exploded off its hinges, revealing a _very_ angry (and familiar) red-head.

"Akagami!?" Crocodile exclaimed, scowling at the smaller man. Shanks entered the garden and Law's jaw dropped.

The Mer's arms were covered in bright red scales and his eyes were practically glowing. Was that an ability of their race? Shanks didn't seem bothered by the many guns trained on him or the additional men Crocodile summoned from the outskirts of the roof-garden. Despite wearing a flowered shirt, shorts, and sandals, he looked positively dangerous.

"You've messed up this time." Shanks growled, "I suggest you prepare yourself, Crocodile."

"The kid isn't dead, Akagami!" The other Mer debated, pointing at the crystal, "In fact, I just broke his curse. You should be thanking me!"

"You hurt Luffy for your own gain!" Shanks shouted, "I could smell his blood from the lobby. There were other ways to break the curse, less dangerous ways."

"Then take him back, if you can!" Crocodile replied, brandishing his hook, "You're outnumbered. Even for you, this is too much-"

Shanks smirked, "Who said anything about me being alone?"

Law turned back towards the door as footsteps sounded from the stairway. Had the man brought reinforcements? However, his initial excitement turned to immense confusion as a group of familiar people emerged.

There, in all their glory, was the Mermaid Club.

Bartolomeo was armed with two rolling pins and spit curses at nearby goons. Following him was Bonney, who had a taser in one hand and a slice of pizza in the other. Cavendish was dressed in full fencing gear, complete with a bedazzled mask and…was that a sword!? A real, medieval sword!?

Bringing up the rear was Rebecca who held a mop (was that even considered a weapon?) and Cora, Law's beloved father. The large man had two frying pans and looked pissed. Law could see there was one more person in the stairway, but couldn't tell who it was.

After their somewhat dramatic entrance, everyone just…stared.

 _"This_ …is your backup, Akagami?" Crocodile chuckled, "Surely you jest."

"Just keep smiling ya bastard!" Bonney yelled, turning her taser on, "I'll wipe that smug smile off your stupid FACE!"

"Indeed! How dare you defile the beauty of a mermaid, it's unthinkable!" Cavendish added, swinging his sword around. Shanks chuckled and bent down into an attack position, scales appearing on his legs.

"Let's go!"

Law immediately threw himself behind Luffy's crystal as bullets started flying. They were insane, challenging a mob boss like Crocodile with _kitchen tools!_ He figured Shanks was strong, but Rebecca…? Wait, did this mean they all knew Shanks was a Mer the whole time!?

'If we survive this, they have some explaining to do… bunch of idiots!'

With his hands currently unavailable, it was all he could do to stay out of harm's way. Suddenly, a presence appeared by his side, startling him.

"Yo, Trafalgar, long time no see."

Spinning around, Law's eyes widened in shock.

"K-Killer-ya!?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> God bless the Mermaid Club XD


	9. Chapter 9

To say Law was surprised to see Killer was a massive understatement. The man was Eustass Kidd's right hand after all.

"What are you doing here!?" Law hissed, straining against the hand cuffs. Killer sighed and straightened his mask.

"Believe it or not, I have hobbies, Trafalgar. Though, when Shanks called me, I had no idea we'd be rescuing you of all people."

Killer turned to look at Luffy, prompting a protective growl from Law. As the blonde man raised his hands placatingly, they were both forced to hide behind the crystal to avoid getting shot.

"Just turn around." Killer instructed, holding up a thin piece of metal, "I'll get you out of those cuffs." Not left with many options, Law turned and allowed the young gangster to work on his restraints.

To think, the terrifying Massacre Soldier was a member of the Mermaid Club. It was almost laughable.

"Does Eustass-ya know about your hobby, Killer-ya?" Law questioned, genuinely curious. Kidd didn't seem like the type to be interested in mythical creatures and clubs.

"He thinks I'm at a funeral."

At that, Law turned around with a raised eyebrow.

"For who?"

"My aunt's bulldog."

"Y-You're joking right?"

"Nope."

"…and Eustass-ya believed you?"

Killer shrugged and finally cracked the handcuffs, pulling them off Law's chafed wrists. The surgeon laid back against Luffy's crystal and huffed, a smile tugging at his lips.

"My condolences."

The blonde gangster said nothing and stood up to join the fight, seemingly ignoring Law's comment. Glancing up over the crystal, the Mermaid Club was actually doing pretty well, all things considered. Or, at least no one was dead yet.

Bartolomeo was like a berserker, hitting everyone in range with his rolling pin fury. Cavendish appeared to be holding his own, leaping back into a fencing position to avoid a punch. Bonney…yeah, she was fine. Crocodile's subordinates actually seemed to be _frightened_ of her. Rebecca was staying close to Cora, who Law knew could handle himself (though he had to wonder why his father had chosen frying pans when they had a few guns hidden in both of their homes…).

Out of all their allies, Shanks was the most terrifying. The Mer fought with a ferocity that surpassed any human and became more and more animalistic with each snap of his ridiculously sharp teeth. If they survived, Law intended to ask him how he'd managed to channel certain aspects of his species without losing the human legs…it was quite fascinating.

Seeing he was being ignored for the time being, Law turned his attention back to Luffy. The Mer prince was now completely healed, not even a cracked scale remained.

'Whatever this stuff is…' He mused, knocking on the material experimentally, 'It's strong. But I need to get him out of there…'

Law huffed and hit the crystal with his fist, groaning in pain as it came back bloody.

"Luffy-ya, if you can hear me, I need you to wake up!" He hissed, pounding on the material right above the prince's serene face. No matter how hard to tried, Luffy didn't react, he didn't even twitch.

For a moment, Law was consumed with irrational fear. What if Luffy never woke up? What if he left him alone…? The little Mer prince had given him someone to talk to, someone that was always happy to see him and enjoyed his company.

A friend.

"L-Luffy-ya…please…" He whispered, voice breaking as he put his forehead against the crystal, "Come back to me."

Seconds later, breaking through the noise of the battle, a crack appeared in the crystal. Law immediately straightened up, looking down at the growing damage that had appeared directly below his forehead. Soon, the crystal began to glow and shake, prompting Law to step back.

The light quickly broke through the walls of the crystal and shot up into the sky like a beam, bursting through the clouds above. Forced to look away, Law covered his eyes and didn't turn back until the spots in his vision had receded.

"Luffy-ya!" He exclaimed, falling to his knees and cradling the limp prince in his arms. It was a bit strange to hold him like this when he wasn't small anymore, but it still gave him great relief to feel Luffy's warmth and see his tail whole again.

"Well, that was something." A deep voice sneered from behind him. Law didn't even have to turn around to know it was Crocodile. "It shouldn't be that easy to break a Royal's carapace…"

"Should you really be concerned about them right now?" Shanks questioned, moving to stand in front of him, "After that beam of light, I imagine the government's going to show up any second."

Crocodile scowled and glanced up to the broken roof. Around them, his subordinates had stopped fighting, seemingly awaiting their boss' decision.

"…fine." He growled, "You win this round, Akagami. Take the prince and get out."

Law immediately exhaled in relief as the weapons were put away. They could finally go home. In his arms, Luffy moaned and blinked as his eyes slowly opened.

"T-Torao?"

"Hey…" He whispered, helping the Mer sit up as well as he could, "How do you feel?" Luffy held his head and looked around in confusion.

"Tired I guess…hey…" Luffy said, looking into Law's eyes and moving his hand to the surgeon's cheek, "Y-You're…I'm…my curse…"

"It's broken." Law informed him with a smile, "You're back to normal." The prince broke out into a bright smile and lunged forward to hug Law, tail slapping against the concrete.

Now much larger, Luffy's momentum threw them backwards, but frankly, Law didn't care. He was just happy to have his Mer back. Surprising him, Luffy leaned forward and brushed their noses together.

"W-What-" Law stuttered, face turning bright red. Luffy looked down at him, tilting his head like he hadn't expected his reaction.

"Torao? What's wrong?"

"Dahahaha, go easy on him Anchor. He's still not used to some aspects of Mer culture, especially now that you're bigger." Luffy immediately turned to Shanks with a bright grin.

"Shanks! You're here!" Surprising Law (again), Luffy grabbed Shanks around the neck and rubbed their noses together. Was that some sort of greeting or something? Why hadn't Luffy done it before?

"All right, let's get you two out of here." Shanks directed while lowering Luffy back onto the concrete, "Law, can you walk?"

"Yeah…" He managed, still somewhat shocked. Law supposed it was different having a tiny merman rub against your hand all the time and having a normal sized one do it to your face.

This would take some getting used to…

* * *

After awkwardly carrying Luffy down the elevator and into the Mermaid's Club's waiting van, they somehow managed to get back to Law's apartment without incident. Though, Crocodile wasn't so lucky.

Thanks to the light show that occurred when Luffy's crystal shattered, he had the police knocking down his door to question to him. It was all over the news…and brought Law great satisfaction.

'How ironic…' He thought with a smirk, 'The bastard deserves everything coming to him.'

"Toraaaoo…don't stop…" Luffy whined, bringing his attention back to the present situation: helping the Mer prince bathe. Law huffed and soaked the loofah in soap so he could gently massage Luffy's scales.

Unfortunately, his bathtub was too small for prince's silver tail, so they were getting water and bubbles all over his tile floor. Hopefully he could get it cleaned up before it soaked down to the lower level…

Luffy hummed contently as Law ran the loofah down his tail again, massive fin hanging out over the edge of the tub. Even his normal size, the Mer was like a giant cat.

"Shishishi, thanks for this, Torao." Luffy chirped, flipping over onto his stomach and splashing Law in the process, "I'm a little sore."

"Do you hurt anywhere?" He asked, wiping water off his face with a towel. The prince shook his head.

"Nah, my tail just aches a bit." The Mer answered, resting his chin on his folded arms. Law continued, enjoying the brief silence as Luffy closed his eyes. Out in the living room, Cora was entertaining the Mermaid Club…and hopefully _not_ destroying his apartment.

The back and forth of the loofah lulled Law into thinking some rather difficult thoughts.

'Is Luffy going to return to the sea…now that his curse is broken?'

After everything they'd gone through, he wouldn't just _leave_ …right?

"Knock, knock." A voice called, opening the door. It was Shanks, now back in his fully human form. "Mind if I join you?"

Law motioned with his head for the Mer to enter, which he did, closing the door behind him. Luffy perked up at Shanks' appearance and pushed himself up on his hands to greet the man.

"Hi, Shanks! Guess what? Law's been helping me with a squishy coral thing that has a name like mine! Isn't that cool!"

"Sure is, Anchor." Shanks chuckled, ruffling the prince's hair before turning to Law, "Thanks for all your help and for saving Luffy. I feel bad that I ever suspected you of aggravated kidnapping."

"Er…okay…" Law whispered, inching away from the Mer. He seriously thought he'd maliciously kidnapped Luffy? It was hard to tell if Shanks was serious or not with that grin on his face…

"Anyway, I hope you don't mind us crashing at your place till dark."

"It's no problem." Law said while wringing the loofah out and handing it to an excited Luffy, "I just hope Cora hasn't tried to cook anything…" Shanks laughed and slapped him hard on the back.

"Nah, pretty sure your old man is still fascinated with Cavendish's tall tales. By the way, I know Rebecca wants to talk with Luffy at some point so-" Suddenly, Shanks stopped and stared at Luffy who was still vigorously cuddling with the loofah.

Confused, Law looked back and forth between the two Mer. Why had he gotten serious all of a sudden?

Taking both of them by surprise, Shanks grabbed Luffy's arm and pulled him halfway out of the tub, making him drop the loofah.

"Shanks, what-"

"Luffy, you didn't…" The Mer whispered to himself before twisting and grabbing Law with his free arm. Unable to resist Shanks' unnatural strength, Law held still as he was sniffed, extremely confused.

Shanks released both of them with a sigh, fixing a nervous looking Luffy with a stare.

"So, when were you going to tell him?"

"I…I…was waiting for the right time." Luffy whispered, appearing uncharacteristically meek and small as he curled up in the tub. Law looked quickly between the two Mer, getting a little anxious.

"What's going on?"

"It appears…" Shanks began while running a hand through his hair, "…that Luffy's imprinted on you." Law blinked for a few seconds, allowing the words to process in his brain. Imprint? Like…a duckling to its mother?

"I'm sorry…what?"

"Basically, it means he sees you as part of his pod…" Shanks explained, "Apparently, after spending so much time with you, he's instinctively allowed himself to bond with you. You can't tell, but your scents have mixed."

Unsure of what to think, he turns to Luffy who cracks a sheepish smile.

"Y-You were taking care of me…getting me food and protecting me…I…couldn't help it." Law gaped at Luffy who almost seemed embarrassed, like he'd done something he shouldn't have.

"Wait, wait, wait." He quickly put in, "How did this even happen!? When did you do it?" Luffy shrugged and tapped his webbed fingers together.

"…I guess it started a few weeks ago?"

"Allow me to explain." Shanks interrupted, turning to face Law completely, "As I'm sure you've noticed, Mer people are a lot like cats: affectionate and physical. We also share scent gland locations with cats…so…"

Law's eyes widened as he remembered all the times Luffy had rubbed his face, cheek, and neck all over his hands and forearms. He'd been…marking him?

"He's a Royal, so this is a bit…controversial, to be honest. Especially since you're a human of all creatures." Shanks continued, huffing at Luffy, "But there's nothing we can do about it now."

They sat in silence for a while, the only sound the swishing of water and popping of soap bubbles. Eventually, Luffy reached out to Law and brushed his forearm lightly.

"Torao…you aren't mad…are you?"

"I'm just confused." Law admitted, gently removing Luffy's webbed hand before turning to Shanks again, "Are you saying we're…connected? Like mates or something?"

"Not exactly." Shanks replied, crossing his arms, "It's more like, in his weakened state, Luffy formed a deep connection with you, his protector. Plus, Anchor's not old enough to find his mate yet. That won't happen for a few years."

As he continued to process the information, Luffy pulled himself halfway out of the tub and latched onto Law's arm, nuzzling his cheek into the muscle.

"It means I belong to Torao, and he belongs to me." The Mer declared, grinning happily to himself, "…my treasure…"

"Your… treasure?" Law repeated, swallowing hard. This pure Mer prince wanted _him_ of all people to be his treasure. Sweating, he yanked his arm away from Luffy and backed up, making the prince flop onto the tile floor with a surprised yelp, "No! I'm no good, trust me!"

"Torao-"

"DON'T YOU GET IT!" Law bellowed, "It was my fault we were taken in the first place; I can't protect myself let alone you!" Luffy simply gazed up at him with those big, dark eyes. Worked up, Law continued.

"I'm _nobody's_ treasure, Luffy-ya. By all rights, I should be rotting away in prison right now."

Shanks said nothing as the smaller Mer pulled himself along the floor until he was sitting awkwardly next to Law's legs.

"I don't care, Torao. The past doesn't matter." He stated firmly, grabbing his pant leg and looking up. Law scoffed at that.

"What if I told you I've killed people, good people." Luffy didn't react, just pulled himself closer.

"I still think you're a good person, Torao, and whether you like it or not," He stated while reaching up to pull Law down to his level, eyes uncharacteristically serious, "You're mine, my own. My _treasure_ …and I'm yours. Those demons you're running from…I'll kill them all."

At Luffy's words, Law's legs crumbled, and he collapsed in a heap next to the Mer's shimmering tail. How could he say something like that so easily…and who knew Luffy could be so _possessive?_ Should he be worried…? Chuckling, Luffy curled into his chest and thrummed, a familiar and soothing sound.

"I'll leave you two alone." Shanks interrupted, standing up, "Though if you're hungry, I bet Rebecca can whip up some fish for us."

Luffy enthusiastically cried that he wanted some, falling across Law's lap in the process. At the amusing picture of a Mer prince flopping around like a beached fish (which he kind of was), Law couldn't help but laugh.

'This kid…he's something special…and apparently, he's going to kill my demons…what a thought. A truly _brilliant_ thought.'

* * *

Lucci walked through the ruined roof-top garden with purpose and an inquisitive eye, searching for anything out of the ordinary.

It hadn't been hard to wrestle jurisdiction from the local officers. They all cowed at the sight of his government issued badge, as they should. After all, this was obviously a _supernatural_ incident, one that required a meticulous and careful touch.

That being said…Lucci was having a difficult time discerning exactly what had occurred on the roof; the evidence was all over the place, from bullets to scorch marks. And, unsurprisingly, nothing useful had come of questioning Crocodile who insisted it was a freak electrical accident (one that had conveniently fried all of the security cameras).

Lucci had his doubts about the reclusive millionaire. Though he had no proof, he suspected the man wasn't as _human_ as he appeared.

"Sir, over here!" The pink-haired intern called, waving him over. The brat had been late to the crime scene but did have a knack for noticing fine details. Lucci walked over to the boy and took the small petri dish from his hands. Inside, was something he hadn't expected to find.

Silver scales, some small like they'd discovered on the beach…but a few large, more like what he'd expect to find on an adult Mer. Alongside the occasional scarlet scale, this was quite the find.

"Good work. Bag them carefully and make sure not to miss any samples." Lucci ordered, handing the dish back to the intern, "We'll process them properly back at the lab."

After a few more hours at the crime scene, Lucci led his group back to DSDR headquarters, which was located about an hour and a half out of town. It was an impressive compound, surrounded by a metal fence and armed guards at all times.

It was, after all, one of the governments most guarded secrets.

Dismissing the intern, Lucci escorted the new samples to the lab himself. It took only a few seconds to punch in the code and enter the eerily lit room.

"Shirororo, do you have something for me, agent?"

Lucci glared at the strange scientist who immediately pushed himself into his personal space. Caesar was undeniably talented, but insufferably obnoxious.

"You know very well these don't come to you until they're cleared by the Admiral."

"Eh, I know," Caesar chuckled, "but it's so exciting to do more tests…don't you agree?" Lucci didn't reply and shoved the scientist aside so he could walk into the office to the left of the main entrance. Inside, the Admiral was waiting for him.

"Well, what did you find?"

Akainu was a serious man, always scowling and on task.

"More scales. Some red-"

 _"Akagami."_ Akainu interrupted, growling under his breath. The Admiral had been hunting that particular Mer for many years, but had never been able to bring him in. They now believed he was hiding in Goa, right in their backyard. However, since they'd never actually laid eyes on him (only brief glances) they weren't sure where to start searching.

"Yes, it's certainly probable. The other scales however…" Lucci trailed off as he passed the petri dish over to Akainu, "are a different story."

"Hmmm…" The Admiral hummed, grabbing a magnifying glass off his desk to further look the samples over, "These obviously belong to the same Mer you found evidence of earlier this month. The difference in size concerns me…"

Akainu stood abruptly and walked out into the main lab, followed closely by Lucci.

"Caesar, tell me what you've discovered about this specimen."

"Of course!" The scientist exclaimed in a sing-song voice, "But first…"

Suddenly, a deep chuckle echoed off the metal walls, one that Lucci knew well. _He_ was here? How troublesome…

"Fufufu, Akainu, surely you wouldn't leave me out of this enlightening conversation, would you?"

Both Akainu and Lucci scowled at the large blonde man who stepped into the light of an overhead window. He was extravagantly dressed, as always, and had a smirk plastered onto his face. Their sponsor and main supporter…

"Doflamingo." Akainu growled, "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Well, considering I pay your measly little salary, I have every right to be here." Doflamingo cackled, sitting down on a nearby metal stool. The Admiral snarled but said nothing as he turned back to Caesar.

"Report, _now."_

"Yeah, yeah…now that we're all here." The clown-like man said with a smirk, reaching over for a clipboard, "For starters, these scales are unlike any I've ever encountered. Even tiny, they practically _pulse_ with energy."

"…a new species?" Akainu voiced, crossing his arms.

"Perhaps, but I can't be sure without seeing the creature myself."

Doflamingo chuckled, eventually building up to a full on laugh, effectively drawing everyone's attention.

"He's no new species… _rare,_ but not new."

"What do you know?" Akainu hissed, eyes narrow. Lucci knew that Doflamingo operated in less than legal circles, often calling himself Joker. As such, he happened upon information that was useful, but many times didn't care to share.

Lucci didn't want them to associate with such a devious and dangerous criminal, but Akainu was insistent the man was an invaluable resource…which he unfortunately was (as much as he hated to admit it) along with the person who kept them running with his "spare change".

"That particular Mer is an albino, or a _silver-scale_ as they are called under the ocean." Doflamingo explained, smile never leaving his face, "Apparently, they are greatly coveted for their scales which have magical healing properties."

"How long have you known this!?" Akainu snarled, "This type of information is essential to our investigation!" The man just laughed.

"Oh, do relax, as it happens, I came across the little Royal by chance."

"Royal?" Lucci put in, also glaring at Doflamingo.

"Yes…didn't I mention that? The second prince of Raftel is here in Goa." The criminal said, licking his lips, "A silver-scale and a Royal…quite the combo."

"If you know where the Mer is…" Akainu threatened, fist clenched tightly at his side.

"Now, now, what fun would it be if I told you everything?" Doflamingo taunted, moving to stand in front of Akainu, "Why don't you do your job, get out there, and capture the little prince? I'm sure your newest edition would love the company."

At that, they all turned to one of the nearby cylindrical tanks. Inside the horizontal, water filled container, was a Mer, their first live specimen in many years. They'd caught him just a few days before after surveillance confirmed he was in fact a Mer in human skin stumbling around awkwardly, and very obviously out of place.

Their facility had larger tanks, but he was currently in the lab for experiments and a smaller tank was more efficient.

The Mer couldn't move very well, confined to such a small space, but still glared at them harshly, blonde hair floating in the green-tinted water. What interested Lucci was the fact that their blue-tailed _guest_ had caught a glimpse of the scales and appeared…concerned.

'Perhaps he knows the Royal?' Lucci mused, eyeing the merman closely as he turned away, hiding those strange eye-brows from view.


	10. Chapter 10

"All right, keep your eyes closed, Anchor."

Luffy giggled softly to himself from where he lounged in the bathtub, water now lukewarm. He was grateful to Torao for allowing him to stay in his tub, but it definitely wasn't going to work long term. It'd barely been twenty-four hours and the human was already complaining about water damage.

So, Shanks was bringing him 'something special' that would get him out of the bathtub. The other Mer placed something in his outstretched hand, making Luffy tremble with excitement.

"Okay, you can look."

The prince opened his eyes and immediately gasped. It was a necklace, or rather, a _charmed_ necklace, he could tell. It was pretty, made with pearls and an abalone shell right in the center.

"Wow, Shanks! Where'd you get it?" The older Mer chuckled.

"It's my extra, just in case mine breaks. But, considering your situation, I'm willing to part with it."

Luffy couldn't wait to show Torao! The human was at work, so Shanks was looking after him. The rest of the Mermaid Club had quietly returned home after the commotion with Crocodile had calmed down. He thought they were all really interesting (who knew Rebecca had been the girl he'd saved that day!?).

"All right, let's get started!" Shanks said, fastening the necklace around Luffy's neck, being careful around his gills, "Let's see how much walking practice we can get in before Law gets home, hmmm?"

* * *

After a long day at work (carefully avoiding questions from Nami and Bellemere about his sudden absence), Law returned home. Cora had to go to work since he'd taken too many days off lately, so Shanks had graciously stepped in to watch over Luffy. As it turned out, having another Mer around was quite helpful.

That being said, he hadn't expected _this._

The first thing he noticed when he entered his apartment was the mess. Lamps were knocked over, the curtains pulled down, and frames broken. His first thought was that someone had broken in and taken Luffy, but…Shanks was here, so that wasn't possible…right?

"Torao, welcome home!" Luffy called, stumbling out into the living room on shaky… _legs!?_ The Mer prince wore one of his old, yellow sweatshirts and shorts that were much too big for him. Shanks came out from behind him and caught Luffy under the arms before he could fall over.

"Yo. Sorry about the mess, Anchor's still getting the hang of having legs."

"Ah…right. Why don't you sit down while I clean up?"

Thankfully, Shanks nodded and led Luffy over to the couch, legs shaking like a newborn fawn. It was kind of funny actually. As he cleaned up, Law couldn't help but glance over occasionally at the Mer prince who was giggling at himself, eyes bright, as he swung his legs back and forth. The way he was glowing, you'd think his new appendages were made of gold or something.

"Ne, ne Torao, now that I have legs, can I go see where you work? OH, and meet your friends, and-"

"I'm…not sure that's a good idea." Law answered, coming to sit beside the bouncy 'human' boy, "The police are probably still on edge after the incident with Crocodile." Plus, according to Shanks, there really _was_ a government agency that hunted Mer people. His previously 'delusional' fear was actually true, which freaked him out more than he thought it would.

He never wanted to see Luffy in danger _again._ It was bad for his heart. But…the prince's big doe eyes were ALSO bad for his heart.

"But…I wanna go…" Luffy whined, bottom lip jutted out, "I wanna spend time with Torao."

"I…I w-well, I mean-"

"Oh, just take him out!" Shanks interrupted with a wink, "I hate to remind you, but he's gonna have to return to the ocean soon, so why not spend some time together." Law huffed, feeling down. He knew Luffy would have to leave, but he _really_ didn't want him to…they were bound together right?

Deep in his heart, he hoped Luffy would just…stay. But he knew that couldn't happen, imprint or not.

"All right, tomorrow you can come with me to work, Luffy-ya. But you'll need to be as inconspicuous as possible-"

"Aye, aye, Torao!" Luffy chirped, latching onto his arm and rubbing his cheek against Law's shirt, "I'll be SUPER stealthy!"

* * *

Luffy obviously didn't understand the meaning of 'inconspicuous', or _quiet_ for that matter.

The hyperactive Mer flitted around the Tangerine, introducing himself to pretty every customer they had, sometimes even asking if he could try their food! Honestly, he was trouble.

"So…you brought a friend in…?" Nami whispered, eyeing him suspiciously. Law swallowed nervously as he made a sandwich for a customer.

"Luffy-ya is from out of town, so his manners aren't great-"

"Right, 'not great'." She whispered, rolling her eyes as she pushed her way out into the café and grabbed Luffy by the back of his shirt to yank him off some poor soul. Law seriously hoped he wouldn't lose his job over this.

"Sorry I'm late…oh…what's going on?" Coby asked, rushing to put on his apron. The kid had been missing a lot of work lately, almost as much as Law had (and he'd been held against his will!). He was tempted to ask what the pink-haired brat had been up to but decided to keep his mouth shut.

"My friend is visiting from out of town." Law explained robotically, having already told his story to Bellemere and Nami, "He's a bit…excitable." Coby hummed and peeked over the counter at Luffy who was being lectured by Nami, until he tripped over his feet and fell into another table. Okay, so maybe this hadn't been the best idea.

After doing a significant amount of damage to the café, Luffy was confined to the back kitchen, where he pouted and held a potato dejectedly. Nami had instructed him to peel it, but he obviously had no idea how to do that.

"Sorry Torao…I didn't mean to make such a mess. You're not in trouble, are you?" The Mer said, finally giving in and just biting into the potato. Law sighed and ran a hand through his hair. Luffy was trying his best, but he stuck out _a lot,_ despite looking like a normal human.

They'd gone shopping and bought Luffy some clothes that actually fit him, including t-shirts, shorts, and a pair of sandals (since the Mer insisted on being comfortable). But combined with his incessant clumsiness and no self-control, someone was bound to notice the kid wasn't totally…normal.

"No, I'm not in trouble, but I think it might be a good idea for you to head home. I can call Cora to come pick you up and-" Law stopped short when Luffy's eyes teared up. Oh Lord, _no,_ not tears!

"I-I'm sorry…I messed everything up…" The Mer sniffled, curling in on himself, "B-But I really wanna stay with you…please don't send me a-away!"

Honestly, how could he possibly say no to Luffy now?

* * *

Coby was…suspicious.

Law's new 'friend' was throwing up quite a few red flags, though he was reluctant to suspect someone who his co-worker seemed to like (which was rare in and of itself…Law didn't like _anybody)._ Through his internship with DSDR, he'd been taught a lot of things, including how to spot a Mer in human guise.

 **Number 1:** They were clumsy. Well, considering how many times the raven-haired boy had tripped or fallen over…

 **Number 2:** They had a shell necklace or some other type of ocean related jewelry. 'Luffy', as he called himself, definitely had one of those.

 **Number 3:** They avoided getting wet. This one was a little harder to test, so Coby decided to try something. With a cup of water, he approached Luffy who was sitting at one of the window seats chatting with a customer. Pretending to fall, Coby flung the water at Luffy, but it…missed? It was like the water avoided him or something! Definitely suspicious.

Coby went through the whole checklist, examining Luffy's neck for any signs of gills (from afar of course), asking him specific questions like 'where are you from?', etc. When asked where he was from, Luffy said something that sounded a lot like 'the ocean', but Law interrupted and said, 'near the ocean'. Once his investigation was complete, he was fairly certain Law's companion was a Mer.

But, surprisingly, his co-worker seemed to be covering for him, always answering questions for him (like the 'where are you from' question) and steering the short boy away from wet surfaces or glasses. Why would Law do that? Unless…

'I've heard of Mer catching humans under their spell.' Coby mused while he watched Law bring Luffy yet another plate of snacks. Was it possible this seemingly innocent kid was using the tattooed male as his own personal servant!? As Law's friend (or sort-of friend) and a future member of DSDR, it was his duty to protect and free him from the Mer's grasp!

* * *

After a somewhat disastrous day at work, Law quickly escorted Luffy out to his car. He hadn't been able to send the Mer home (damn his adorable eyes!), so hopefully no one had reported him or something.

"Shishishi, that was fun!" Luffy chirped, bouncing in place as Law worked to open the passenger door, "Can I come again tomorrow?" He sighed, really not wanting to answer that right now.

"I'll think about it, just get in."

At Luffy's pitiful begging, Law stopped and got them some food, which effectively emptied out his wallet. This Mer went through his paycheck faster than he had ever expected. Finally, they arrived at home, Law's arms full of food.

Before they could go up the stairs to the second floor of his apartment complex, a stream of water appeared, bending around Luffy like it usually did (unless he wanted to get wet, but with the charmed necklace, it was important to stay alert).

"What?" Luffy questioned, turning around to face their attacker, who was armed with a water gun. Wait, was that-

"Law, get away from him!" Coby exclaimed, holding the water gun menacingly, "He's not what he seems!"

"I beg your pardon?" He asked, placing the food on the ground and walking to Luffy's side, inwardly freaking out. Had Coby figured it out!? The pink-haired kid pumped up his gun again and shot multiple streams at Luffy, which the Mer simply willed away from him (thankfully avoiding Law as well). His ability to manipulate water sure was handy.

"See? The water won't hit him!" Coby yelled, shaking slightly, "H-He's obviously a Mer person!"

"Okay…either that or you're just a really bad shot." Law replied, keeping his voice calm. How did Coby even know about Luffy's race? Surprising both of them, said boy trotted up to the scared human, avoiding the water skillfully.

"Shishishi, hello! Coby, right?" Luffy asked with a smile, grabbing the water gun and taking it from the pink-haired male's grip, "Why don't you come upstairs? We can talk and-"

"NOOOOOO, I DON'T WANT TO BE HYPNOTIZED!" Coby screamed, trying to get away. Luffy just giggled, grabbed him, and threw him over his shoulder.

"Let's go."

Law shrugged, grabbed their food, and followed Luffy up the stairs, impressed he was able to hold onto Coby when he was squirming around so much. Hopefully none of his neighbors would call the police…

Law tried to be nice, he really did, but having Coby in his apartment screaming bloody murder and attacking his house guest, was really starting to piss him off. So, he did what he had to do. A few minutes later, Luffy sat on the floor munching on some chicken nuggets, across from the now tied up and gagged Coby who looked absolutely terrified.

"You want some?" The Mer prince offered, earning a wide-eyed look from Coby. Luffy pouted and shrugged, content to eat them himself. Once he had a nice cup of soothing tea, Law joined them, seating himself on the couch next to Coby's chair.

"Have you calmed down?" Coby made a muffled sound of complaint, trying (and failing) to shuffle away from Luffy, "Listen, you're overreacting okay? Luffy-ya is obviously-"

"I'm Monkey D. Luffy, second prince of Raftel and a Merman, nice to meet you!"

Law gaped at his house guest, horrified he'd just said all of that out loud. Luffy didn't seem to care and simply smiled at Coby, eyes bright and happy. They sat in silence for a while, until Law finally decided to take Coby's gag off (praying he didn't start screaming again).

"W-What do you want with Law?" Their captive asked, eyes darting between them. Luffy tilted his head in confusion.

"What do I want? He's my treasure."

Coby gasped at that, fixing Law in place with a horrified gaze. Geez, what did he think was going on here?

"Allow me to explain, Coby-ya."

Knowing there was now no way around it, Law started at the beginning. He explained Luffy's heritage and how he'd found him on the beach, injured in a tidepool. He left out the details of what happened the past few days, not wanting to admit he'd let them get kidnapped in broad daylight.

"So…you're not his hypnotized slave?"

"No, definitely not." Luffy giggled, shifting so he could remove his sandals.

"Shishishi, technically, since I imprinted on Torao, _I_ belong to _him."_ He stated, making Law's jaw drop, that was news to him! "But he's still my treasure, and I'd never hurt him."

Law sighed, rubbing his eyes with a hand. This was all so damn complicated…

"Erm…c-could I see your tail?" Coby whispered, eyes down. He definitely wasn't convinced that Luffy wasn't evil. The Mer smiled and leaned on his hand.

"Sure, I don't see why not!"

Before he could do anything rash, Law took Luffy aside.

"Are you certain this is a good idea? For all we know, he could be working for the government. I know for a fact he has an internship of some kind…" Luffy grabbed his hands and smiled softly.

"I know, but he's your friend, right? I'd really like to convince him I'm good, for your sake." Law was taken aback by the sincerity of Luffy's words. "Don't worry, it'll be fine."

So, they untied Coby and took him into the bathroom, that is, after giving Luffy some time to strip and get in the tub. Slowly opening the door, Coby's eyes widened. Even to Law, who'd seen him in his true form multiple times, Luffy's tail was gorgeous, glittering in the fluorescent lighting.

"I…I…wow." He breathed, slowly approaching Luffy, "Beautiful…" The Mer smiled and flipped his tail around, making Coby flinch.

"See? I'm not so bad."

Coby swallowed nervously and gently placed a hand on his silver tail, eyes narrowing as he looked over the scales.

"These scales…based on what you just told me, the tiny scales we found on the beach were yours, weren't they?" Luffy nodded, "So then, you were in Crocodile's building?" Another nod. Law rolled his eyes as the shorter male began to mumble to himself, mentally taking measurements of Luffy's tail and reciting them to himself in mathematical form.

"Well, are you satisfied? Luffy-ya is _anything_ but evil."

"I…I mean, I suppose." Coby stuttered, finally removing his hand from Luffy's tail, "…but it's too late for that." Law immediately grabbed the boy by his collar.

"What do you mean!?"

"Meeting him in person and hearing his story, I can see now that he's not evil, but coming here I wasn't sure!" Coby exclaimed, hanging in Law's grip, "So I called for backup."

"From who!?"

"Er…the Division of Supernatural Deterrent and Research…the government."

Oh crap.

* * *

Lucci quickly organized his men as they surrounded the apartment complex. According to the intern, Coby, one of his co-workers might be ensnared by a Mer, possibly the very one they'd been looking for. Thankfully, they hadn't been far when the pink-haired kid had called.

'Though, he is just an intern.' Lucci thought with a huff, 'He may very well be over reacting.' Considering they'd only just had a meeting concerning how to draw the silver-scaled Mer out, to have a tip the very next day was a little…odd. But, as a government agent, it was his job to follow every lead.

"Sir, we've evacuated the building!" One of his subordinates reported, receiving a nod. It wasn't all that difficult to fabricate a gas leak to get rid of any unwanted observers. According to their surveillance, the occupants of the suspect second-floor apartment hadn't left.

"Good, keep up the barricade. No one gets in or out." Lucci ordered, grabbing his gun, "Capture unit, with me!" Said unit was armed with nets, tranquilizer, and suitable equipment to safely extract a Mer (without advertising it to the public). They weren't nearly as useful dead, especially one as rare as their albino target.

Lucci led the special unit upstairs while taking out his own gun just in case. With no surveillance inside the apartment aside from the basic floor plan, it was important to be prepared. He stopped to the side of the front door and banged on it loudly.

"DSDR, open up!"

From inside, he could hear someone scrambling around until finally a tall man opened the door. He appeared to be around twenty-five years old and had tattoos showing under his shirt.

"Can I…help you?" The man asked, looking down at Lucci's gun casually. The government agent frowned, not liking how comfortable this person appeared to be with a normally frightening weapon.

"Are you aware of the emergency evacuation order? There's a possible gas leak at this location." Lucci stated, lowering his gun to the man's chest and lying through his teeth to gauge the stranger's reaction. This guy was way too calm.

"Yeah, I heard, though I'm not sure it requires so much…firepower." The man said (mumbling the last part) and moving slightly to block his view inside, "Don't worry, we're leaving."

_We?_

"That won't be necessary." Lucci growled, pushing his way past the tattooed male, followed closely by his team, "Restrain him and search the premises!" While two of his men handcuffed the struggling resident and forced him into nearby chair, Lucci led the second group around the apartment.

It was a fairly normal place, though some of the furniture and decorations appeared newly moved…or newly repaired. Suddenly, a noise from the bathroom caught his attention. Motioning for his men to surround the door, Lucci swiftly kicked it in, gun raised menacingly.

Inside, there was an interesting scene.

Coby was standing in front of the bathtub, holding a soaking wet towel over a suspicious lump squirming in the porcelain basin.

"S-Sir!" He squeaked, immediately abandoning his task and saluting, "E-Er this is…" Not bothering to wait for an explanation, Lucci strode forward and ripped the towel off, revealing a damp, and very naked, teenager, wearing a shell necklace and nothing else.

The boy had dark hair, big eyes, and a scar under his left eye. What he _didn't_ have was a tail, though he could deduce what they'd been doing with the towel…likely drying him off so his disguise could take hold again.

"Don't move." Lucci ordered, pointing his gun directly at the strange boy in the tub. The kid tilted his head and peered at the weapon before looking back up at him, eyes boring through his skull.

"W-Wait, please Sir!" Coby interrupted, rushing up to his side, "Luffy's not a threat!

"Not a threat!? He's obviously a Mer!" Lucci replied, never taking his eyes off the boy who was still staring up at him, not saying anything, "…and here you are helping him…what were you thinking!?"

"Law told me everything…" Coby replied, shaking a little, "At first, I thought Luffy had him under his control, but he's actually not that bad and-"

"Enough of this! Get him out of here!"

The pink-haired intern struggled as he was dragged away, but he was no match for their special task force. Almost immediately, the boy in the tub moved, reaching towards Coby until Lucci grabbed his wrist and held him firmly in place.

"Let go, _human."_ The Mer growled, showing his sharp teeth. It seems that the creature didn't care about revealing himself since Lucci already knew about his secret.

"No, I don't think I will."

For a moment, they had a brief contest of strength. Despite his size, the boy was strong and nearly pulled him into the tub. To avoid further straining of his tendons, Lucci finally released the Mer, sending him plopping back into the deep basin.

"Listen closely, I'm willing to let you walk out of here, conscious, but only if you behave."

The kid hissed at him, posture becoming more and more defensive as his men moved to surround him further. Lucci could tell the boy felt exposed and vulnerable, pupils dilated, and teeth barred. It seems they caught him and his companion by surprise (though Coby getting ensnared wasn't part of the impromptu plan).

Recognizing they weren't getting anywhere, Lucci whispered to his subordinate to bring in the other male. Maybe having the Mer's human acquaintance as leverage would help make this extraction as smooth as possible.

He'd rather not have to knock the boy out.

* * *

Law growled at the men who dragged him into the bathroom. This wasn't how it was supposed to go! When Coby first spilled the beans about his idiotic call for backup, Law's initial plan had been to buy time at the door till Luffy was dried off and appeared human, but his damn pink-haired co-worker hadn't done it fast enough!

'Slow drainage system, my ass.' Law thought angrily, 'We should've just pulled him out onto the tile!'

Optimally, he would've taken Luffy and escaped through a window or something, but by the time they'd started drying the Mer off, his building was already surrounded (and there was no way he could've lifted Luffy in his Mer form…much too heavy). You had to give the government props for efficiency at least.

"Torao!" Luffy exclaimed, coming up onto his knees. The poor kid looked very distressed and was naked as the day he was born. Though anyone would be stressed having so many guns trained on them.

"He hasn't done anything." Law growled to the men's leader, "I don't care what you think, he's innocent!"

"This _Mer_ is a threat." The long-haired man explained harshly, "Their kind is dangerous, though I imagine you're feeling quite inclined to be on his side right now. Don't worry, we have means to free you from his control."

"I'm NOT under Luffy-ya's control!" Law bellowed, struggling against the arms holding him back, "He's…I'm…" Angry, he threw himself back against the men behind him, but only accomplished getting himself slammed down onto the floor. These guys were serious!

"TORAO!" Luffy yelled again, trying to find his footing in the slippery tub, "STOP IT, YOU'RE HURTING HIM!"

"Sit. Down." The agent ordered, gun right between Luffy's eyes, "I won't hesitate."

The Mer prince growled but did as he said and lowered himself back into the bathtub. Law's vision was blurry, but he could just barely make out the armored men throw a blanket around Luffy to cover his nakedness and start to hold strange equipment up to his legs and neck.

"Get the basic measurements, then we're leaving." The agent commanded before looking back at Law, "Take him too. Be quick about it!"

All too soon, they were being escorted out of his apartment, obviously under arrest. Unfortunately, due to the threat of a gas leak, there was no one around to help, or even watch them get taken away (again). Law's head pounded, but he refused to be carried out of his own home. Luffy held the blanket firmly around himself and didn't fight back, occasionally glancing worriedly back at him.

The stairs were a little difficult for the Mer, so the armed men grabbed his arms and practically dragged him down, earning some little sounds of discomfort from Luffy. If he wasn't handcuffed…

They were both shoved into the back of a military van with armed guards on either side of them. Almost immediately, the vehicle was started up and they were on their way…to some secret government facility, he supposed. Luffy's emotions were obviously flustered as he went from glaring at the human's who'd caught them to giving Law 'the big eyes of concern.'

'Well, this certainly isn't good.' Law mused, trying to keep Luffy calm by not freaking out himself, 'But…there's still Plan B.'

Yes, Plan B, which he hoped Cora and the Mermaid Club would decipher before they arrived at their destination, otherwise…they were screwed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And...just as things start to look up, they go sideways, again XD


	11. Chapter 11

Rocinante found himself in the hauntingly familiar position of staring down at his phone, worried sick. This time he wasn't in Law's apartment, but that was because of the government barricades around his son's apartment complex, spouting some nonsense about a gas leak.

The text message that had prompted him to rush over was puzzling…and very concerning.

_LU TRAP-THEY'RE HERE-NEED HELP._

He vividly recalled Shanks telling them about the secret agency that hunted down the Mer people, but he didn't think they'd find Law and Luffy so quickly! Rocinante grabbed his phone as it vibrated and moved away from the officers keeping civilians away.

 _"What'd you find?"_ Shanks asked, tone even and calm. Meanwhile, Rocinante was practically shaking. They'd just gotten away from Crocodile and now this…

"It's not good…I-I think they were both taken."

_"You're certain?"_

"I don't know!" He snapped, hand coming up to his eyes in frustration, "I can't get close enough to see for sure." Shanks hummed on the line, likely considering their options.

_"Then we have no choice but to assume the worst. I'll gather everyone so we can come up with a plan. Meet us at the community center."_

At that, the red-haired Mer hung up, leaving a distraught Rocinante at the suspected scene of the crime. This wasn't some underground thug they were dealing with now…this was the _government._

'We'll need to tread lightly…or risk making enemies of some very powerful people.'

"Rocinante, it's been a long time." Someone said, making his blood go cold. No…it couldn't be…

Turning around slowly, he immediately gulped, recognizing the man standing in front of a fancy, black car, holstered pistol on his hip.

_"Vergo."_

* * *

Luffy sat in silence, smushed between two mean human guards. Torao sat across from him, also silent, but with his grey eyes darting around the vehicle they'd been forced into. He was searching for a way to escape most likely.

The Mer boy huffed and pulled the rough blanket closer around his naked body. He was cold, hungry, tired, and had a lot on his mind. Luffy's dark eyes blinked to Torao again, this time a bit sad.

Now that he was big again, he really needed to return to the sea. His family and friends…what happened to them? What about Raftel? There was so much Luffy needed to find out.

'I wish Torao would could come with me…' He bemoaned, biting his lip. But the man was human, not a Mer. Besides, it would be dangerous. Luffy hadn't forgotten the sharks that were likely still searching for him…waiting for when he returned from the surface.

He was drawn out of his thoughts when the dark-haired human (who was sitting adjacent to them), suddenly stood up and approached him.

"We're nearly at our destination." The human informed him, making Luffy's eyes widen in surprise. Already!? "Help me get him prepped." The last statement was not for him, but for the guards sitting on either side of his small body.

"Get your hands off him!"

Luffy could hear Torao in the background but was currently too busy struggling against his captors as they forced him onto his back on the floor of the still moving vehicle. There were hands all over him, doing who knows what. Why were human legs so awkward and hard to use!?

One pair of grabby, human hands attached a strange metal device to his neck (pushing his necklace up a bit so it was out of the way) while another was secured around his waist. At this point, the blanket had been thrown aside, so Luffy was left completely bare on the hard metal, pulling at the circular things to no avail.

"Don't bother." The head agent stated from his position over him, "Those won't be coming off any time soon."

"What the hell are they?" Luffy hissed, voice low and dangerous. The human smirked.

"They're control collars. We know very well how dangerous your kind is, so we don't take any chances. Though…" He knelt down and tapped the device around Luffy's waist (just above his hips) lightly, making him flinch, "We added a second one just for you… _Your Highness."_

Luffy froze. How did they know he was a prince!?

"How the hell do you know that?" Torao spit, voicing Luffy's unsaid question.

"We have many sources." The human replied, shifting so his knee dug into Luffy's stomach. The Mer couldn't help the whine that escaped from the pressure. "Now, before we bring you in…" The agent nodded to the guards who held Luffy tightly, spread out on the floor.

His eyes widened as the man took out a needle.

"GET OFF HIM!" Torao bellowed, leaping to his feet, "I won't let you-" He was stopped by a fist to the gut as the two other guards forced him back onto the bench.

"T-Torao…" Luffy whispered, fear rising as the needle was filled with suspicious liquid and brought to his neck, _"Help-"_ A prick in his skin brought forth a sob of fear. He'd never felt so helpless and vulnerable before. Not even Crocodile had treated him with such disregard for respect and decency.

As his body began to tingle, Luffy's vision became blurry and his limbs turned into mush. It was all he could do to turn his head slightly and look at Torao, before everything went black.

* * *

Law was _livid._

These agents were treating Luffy like he was some sort of animal! To add insult to injury, just before he'd completely lost consciousness, the Mer boy had turned to him, eyes big and full of fear. Law had to watch as the light dimmed from Luffy's expressive gaze, becoming glazed over and unfocused as whatever they gave him (likely a powerful sedative) kicked in.

It was completely inhumane!

"…and you call yourselves 'protectors of the peace'." Law growled, pulling against the two pairs of arms holding him back, "What a load of crap." Their leader huffed an stood up, turning to face him as his subordinates wrapped Luffy up in a blanket.

"Believe it or not, this is all for the greater good. Their kind is a threat to our world, one that must be mitigated and contained."

"Because he's different!?"

"He's not human."

"Luffy-ya is more _human_ than you'll ever be."

The agent held up a hand to stop one of his guards from striking Law, a pensive look on his face.

"Don't bother, he's still under the Mer's control. He doesn't know what he's saying."

Not long after their 'prepping' of Luffy, they arrived at their destination, what Law could only assume was the secret government compound. As there were no windows in the van, he had no idea where they'd gone, only that it was surprisingly close to town.

When the back doors opened up, he was tempted to make a run for it, but immediately scratched that idea when their way into an intimidating building was lined with heavily armed guards. The leader grabbed Law's arm and practically threw him out of the vehicle while his subordinates gathered Luffy's limp body, wrapped up like some sort of burrito.

The sight would've been quite cute had the Mer not been pale and unconscious with a metal collar locked around his neck that beeped with a frightening red light.

"Let's go, the Admiral is waiting." The head agent said while harshly dragging Law into the dark building by his arm. Then, he thought something he'd never thought before.

'Where's the damn Mermaid Club when you need them!'

* * *

Shanks paced back and forth across the club's room; brow furrowed.

"He should've been here by now…"

"Do you think something happened?" Rebecca whispered, wringing her hands together nervously. The whole group was uncharacteristically quiet, sensing the tension coming off of the scarlet-scaled Mer.

Shanks sighed and plopped down into one of the chairs. With how distressed Rocinante sounded on the phone, he had expected the human to rush right over from Law's apartment, which wasn't very far away. Something was definitely wrong.

"Well, he's not answering his phone and hasn't come…so we should assume the worst." Shanks growled, cursing DSDR. Why would they choose now of all times to strike? They'd just gotten Luffy back!

"Then we should attack!" Bartolomeo suggested enthusiastically, "We know where their facility is and can be there in an hour!" Shanks shook his head.

"Even with my strength and Bonny's hacking, we're short one of our main fighters. Plus, invading would put Makino in danger…" He knew very well that Admiral Akainu was searching for him, had been for a long time. If he just showed up without a plan, he and his family could be identified and hunted down relentlessly.

Too bad Killer had already returned home…

"We can't just sit here and do nothing!" Bonney exclaimed while slamming her fist into the table, "Who knows what they'll do to that kid…"

Shanks hummed, thoughts racing as he tried to think up some semblance of a plan. He supposed they could sneak in. With everyone's abilities, it was possible, but that facility was heavily guarded and manned with impressive defense systems. If only they had more allies-

His eyes widened, an idea forming in his mind.

"Bonny, how long will it take you to get past their firewall?"

"Uh…I dunno, maybe eight hours?" She immediately slapped Cavendish on the head as he objected to her 'inefficiency', "Look, this is the GOVERNMENT, jackass, not some local bank! It's gonna take a while!"

Shanks nodded and jumped up, grabbing his jacket.

"Good, work on that. Everyone else, keep preparing…I'll be back by morning."

"Where're you going?"

"To get more allies." Shanks replied before sprinting out to his car, praying his idea didn't backfire.

* * *

Law grunted as he was pushed into a large room. It appeared to be a lab of some sort with tanks of different sizes lining the walls. His eyes darted up to the largest tank, full to the brim with water and surprisingly not empty.

Inside was another Merman, this one blonde with a blue tail.

Much like Luffy, he had a collar around his neck that tethered him to some sort of machine that slid just above the water's surface, moving with him. The blonde observed them as they entered, eyes immediately focusing on Luffy's unconscious body.

"Secure a net and get him on the table." The head agent ordered while forcing Law to his knees next to him, "I imagine he'll want to get some samples while he's out-"

"Shirororo, you would be correct." A nasally and familiar voice interrupted. Law turned and glared at Caesar Clown; someone he didn't think he'd ever see again. Last he heard, the scientist had pissed Doflamingo off and hadn't been seen again.

 _"Caesar_ …what the hell are you doing here?"

"Law, what a pleasant surprise." The scientist cooed, prancing over to him, "I'm working, obviously."

"I thought Doflamingo killed you."

"The Young Master is a gracious man." Caesar continued, looming over him obnoxiously, "He gave me another chance, and I am honored to serve him…unlike a certain ungrateful boy who got himself arrested and cost Joker quite a lot of money"

Law growled at the annoying scientist as he flitted over to Luffy and ordered the men to lay him on a nearby metal table faster (practically tearing the blanket away). Underneath the still flaccid Mer was a net that he could tell would be used later to lift Luffy up and into the tank.

At Caesar's incessant hounding, the agents almost dropped Luffy, making his head roll to the left, facing Law. How dare they-

"OI, YOU HUMAN BASTARDS!" A somewhat garbled voice yelled, sounding infuriated. Everyone looked up at the blonde Mer whose eyes were ablaze with fury, "You touch him again, and I'll tear your throats out."

The agents pretty much ignored the other Mer's threat, but Law couldn't help but watch the blonde start to swim back and forth, teeth barred. Did he know Luffy?

"Move over!" Caesar demanded, pushing his way past the other men, "You're too slow!" At that, he grabbed a nearby bucket full of water and poured it all over Luffy. The Mer didn't stir but almost immediately his legs morphed together, and his gorgeous tail appeared.

The scientist made a sound of awe and ran his pale hands up and down the wet tail, almost reverently.

"Beautiful…stunning…"

While Caesar was focused on Luffy's tail, the head-agent stepped forward and unclipped the abalone charm from the boy's neck, pocketing it swiftly. Law made a mental note of that, knowing they'd need that necklace if they were going to get Luffy out…otherwise, he'd be too heavy and awkward to move.

"Leave us! I need peace and quiet to work."

So, Law was dragged out, unable to do anything as Caesar's look of awe morphed into a dark smirk.

* * *

Law was frustrated with his lack of strength. This was the second time he'd let Luffy down…failed to protect him. Now, the Mer was with Caesar, someone who had no clue as to his worth and would have no problem hurting him.

He grit his teeth and pulled against the cuffs holding him to a metal chair. It was a rather uncomfortable position with his arms secured behind his back, weaved through the back rungs. Law couldn't help but feel anxious as the guards had just left him in here…alone in a dark room, facing away from the door so he couldn't see who entered.

He flinched slightly as the door behind him finally creaked open. Was it government scientists coming to 'free' him from Luffy's control? Who knows what they'd try-

"Fufufufu…"

Law froze, eyes widening.

_No._

"It's been a long time… _Law."_ Doflamingo sneered, stalking around so he was in front of him. Law swallowed nervously. Of all the things he had expected to see in a secret government facility, his uncle was not one of them. "How many years has it been?"

"Not long enough." He managed, looking up defiantly into the taller male's face, "What the hell are you doing here?" Doflamingo chuckled.

"I see you still have your wit, if nothing else."

 _"Answer the question!"_ Law demanded, hissing through his teeth. Doflamingo smirked and walked to the edge of the room to pull a chair up. He wasted no time in flipping it around, so the back was facing him and sitting down with a flourish.

"Working, my dear nephew. I heard you've had a rough few days…my condolences."

Law's anger flared as he thought about all the crap they went through under Crocodile's thumb, courtesy of his uncle.

"Yeah, no thanks to you."

"Fufufu, how ungrateful!" Doflamingo cackled, "Is it wrong for a worried uncle to bring his wayward nephew home?"

"My _home_ is with Cora." He practically spit, making Doflamingo's expression change into a foreboding scowl, "He's the only family I-" Law almost bit his tongue when his uncle stood up and slapped him, drawing out a surprised yelp of pain.

 _"Brat_ …it seems you need to be re-educated." Doflamingo growled darkly, "After all I did for you…I practically _raised_ you and this is how you repay me!? Rocinante and that damn Mer have been a bad influence on you, Law."

He slumped in the chair, shakily looking up to glare at his uncle. The man's nails had dug into his cheek, making it bleed. It was now obvious that Doflamingo knew about the Mer people and had likely been dealing with their kind for a while now (if evidenced by his established business relationship with Crocodile).

Had his uncle wrecked the lives of Mer just like he'd wrecked his?

"Luffy-ya is the best thing that's happened to me since Cora set me straight." He stated, breathing heavily, "If anyone screwed me up, it was you, _Doffy."_ Law used the man's family nickname in a mocking way, further angering him if the bulging veins were any indication.

Surprising him, Doflamingo calmed himself, curling his scowl up into a dark smirk.

"Ah, yes…the pretty young princeling. Once Caesar and Akainu have had their way with him, perhaps I'll keep him in one of my aquariums? That way, you can see him anytime you want…once you return to your duties as my Surgeon of Death."

Law's eyes narrowed at the thought. Doflamingo intended to use Luffy to keep him in line, something that was completely unacceptable.

"I won't go back."

"You will…I've seen the way you look at that Mer." He stated lowly, patting Law's cheek cruelly as he moved towards the door, "Besides, Rocinante will be joining us soon and you don't want to miss him."

Law inhaled sharply as the door slammed shut, sealing him inside the dark room once again.

* * *

Lucci watched closely as Caesar worked. The scientist had wanted to be alone with the specimen, but at the Admiral's order, he was to oversee the process. Akainu didn't trust him due to his connect to Doflamingo.

A wise decision from Lucci's perspective.

The Admiral had briefly shown himself to get a look at the unique Mer they'd captured but hadn't stayed long. He was likely in his office going over everything he had gathered on Akagami in hopes this new, young one would give him information on his prey.

"Shirororo…truly magnificent." Caesar muttered to himself as he peeled off a scale and placed it in a petri dish. The Mer, still unconscious, was completely oblivious to the many needles that had been stuck into his body. At this point, the scientist had taken blood, bone marrow samples, and even a tooth.

Lucci frowned as the clown-like man pulled out yet another needle.

"Oi, that's enough for today."

"E-Eh? What are you saying!" Caesar objected, "I need to move on to my experiments-"

"Not today." Lucci said, standing firm. If the scientist kept going, he might harm the Mer beyond repair. "Clean up your tools so I can get him into the tank."

Caesar grumbled but did as he was told. Once the scientist was out of the way, Lucci stepped forward and tested the Mer's control collars to make sure they were on and secure. Thankfully, the red light was blinking strong, as it was supposed to.

Up close and personal with the boy, he really was… _young._ Ignoring the tail, he was just a normal teenager. Lucci frowned, annoyed by his own thoughts.

This was no human…just a fish, and a dangerous one at that.

At the press of a button, the net underneath the Mer lifted up, taking its limp passenger with it. Inside the tank, the blue-tailed Mer swam so he was directly underneath the net, ready to receive his comrade. Lucci stopped the machine so the prince was just above the water and next to the long walkway that spanned the top of the tank.

Climbing the ladder, Lucci knelt down next to the limp body and attached flexible steel cables to the Mer's neck and waist collars. These would track and restrain his movements to keep him from hurting himself or them. Their length could be adjusted easily enough, but at the moment, they were set to allow the two Mers some freedom to swim around.

Testing the cables' strength one last time, Lucci flipped a switch on the control panel which released the net and sent the silver-tailed Mer into the water. As expected, the blue-tailed fish immediately swam forward and collected the smaller one into his scaled arms, taking a moment to hiss at Lucci before slowly floating down the bottom.

Waiting for him back on the ground were four guards whose assignment was to guard the specimens until the following day. One of them appeared mesmerized by the two Mer who rested at the bottom of the tank. The blue-tailed merman had the prince's head on his tail and was stroking his hair, whispering something too low for them to hear.

"Watch them." Lucci ordered, drawing their attention and salutes, "Report any anomalies directly to me."

With one last glance at the limp albino, he exited the lab, determined to get a few hours of rest before the next day came.

* * *

Shanks coughed as the man across from him blew smoke directly into his face. Rude…

"You really expect me to help after what you pulled?" The dark haired man took another drag and moved to one of the large windows, coat secure on his shoulders. Shanks shrugged and trotted up so he stood next to his prospective ally, looking out the window of the tall building. At this time of night, the stars were so beautiful.

"This time's different. We have a common enemy."

"Last I checked…you wanted no part in this fight." Crocodile stated, gleaming eyes lazily moving to meet his, "The prince that important to you?"

Shanks turned to face the other Mer, expression serious and fists clenched.

"I'd wage war on the human race to save him."

Crocodile smirked.

"Good."


	12. Chapter 12

Luffy woke slowly, unsure of where he was. The last thing he remembered was being in the truck with Torao, and then nothing. Why did it feel like he was in water now? He could hear someone calling his name and feel their touch on his face…so gentle…

Wait, now it was starting to hurt-

"-wake up, damn it!"

He yelped as someone hit his cheek rather violently, making him open his eyes and gasp suddenly. Luffy didn't know what was going on so he began to flail in the person's grasp, whoever was holding him and now _slapping_ him. However, his sudden jerk brought with it a wave of pain all throughout his body, concentrated on his tail.

"Easy, Luffy. Breathe…just breathe." Deciding to trust whoever was there, he took a deep breathe through his gills, closing his eyes for a moment to stop the dizziness. When he opened them again and finally focused on the other talking to him, his eyes narrowed in recognition.

"S-Sanji? What are you-" He broke off in a fit of coughing, producing bubbles in the fluorescent water. The blue-tailed Mer huffed and repositioned him, so he wasn't laying down on his friend's fin.

"Rescuing you, though that obviously didn't go as planned…"

Luffy brought a hand up to his head, frowning at the pounding that wouldn't go away. His entire body was sore, more than it had been after Crocodile. A quick once over of his body revealed old and new injuries. The bruises from his last stint in captivity were yellow with age but he now had multiple 'spots' all-over his arms…perhaps from needles?

His tail was the worst, missing scales _again._ Why did people keep taking them!? It was painful to grow them back…

"I recommend you try not to move." Sanji suggested, "The freak scientist used some big needles and took a lot of samples…you should get some rest while you can." Luffy made a sound of acknowledgement, feeling sick to his stomach.

Before he laid back down, the prince took in his surroundings. They were in a metal building of some sort with lots of machines and blinking lights. He and Sanji were in a fairly large tank full of water that had a strong chemical taste to it with lights on top to illuminate them to everyone looking inside.

Sanji had a collar around his neck just like him that tethered him to a moving machine above. Luffy, unfortunately, also had the one around his waist that made lying down difficult. How was he supposed to sleep with the thing digging into his skin?

"Where's Torao?" He asked quietly as he positioned himself on the hard bottom of the tank.

"Torao? Who's that?"

"The tattooed human who's been taking care of me…where is he?" Sanji shrugged, gliding through the water so he was seated next to his head.

"Oh, that one…I don't know. They took him somewhere else after dumping you with the clown-like human."

Luffy bit his lip, feeling terribly guilty. From what he'd gleaned, Torao had been finally settling into a good life before meeting him and because of his kindness, had been subjected to torture, beatings, and everything in between.

Because of _him._

Had Torao not found him on the beach that day, maybe his life would be better…and he wouldn't have had to go through the hell that had followed Luffy onto the surface. Sanji, sensing his distress, put a surprisingly gentle hand on his head.

"Hey, don't beat yourself up. Whatever happened, it wasn't your fault." When Luffy didn't reply, his friend tried a different tactic: distraction. "So…since we've apparently got some time, how'd you get big again? Tell me about this 'Torao' of yours."

Blinking tears out of his eyes, Luffy told Sanji everything that had happened to him after being kidnapped by sharks so many weeks before. He told him about Torao and Mr. Cora who'd treated him and truly became like family. He explained how Crocodile wasn't dead, the curse breaking ritual and the Mermaid Club's daring rescue, along with his fun times at Torao's work.

With each story, Luffy perked up. He found that talking about time spent with Torao and Mr. Cora really made him feel better. In reality, he would _never_ wish that he'd never met them. They'd given him his first human friends and so many new experiences. They'd even led him to Shanks!

"Wait, wait…you _imprinted_ on a human!" Sanji hissed, focusing on that part of the story, "Are you crazy!"

"It just kind of…happened." Luffy said with a quiet giggle, recalling Torao's reaction, "I don't mind. What about home? Are the others okay?" His guard tensed for a second, curling his webbed hand into a fist before relaxing.

"Raftel is occupied, so I honestly have no idea what's going on inside the walls. Rumor has it your brother and father are still alive but held captive." Luffy let out a sigh of relief at that, even if it wasn't confirmed. His family wouldn't die so easily. "As for Usopp and Zoro…they're in a safe place. We can meet up with them after we get out of here."

The prince watched Sanji carefully as he spoke, sensing something wasn't quite right. He wasn't sure what it was, but the Merman wasn't acting like himself. Maybe it was being held captive by humans or…something else?

"Are you okay?"

"Y-Yeah." Sanji quickly replied, "Just tired…and bored. Not much to do in this damn tank." Luffy agreed with that and closed his eyes, deciding to attempt to sleep. So much had happened, but hopefully they'd find a way to escape soon. He wanted Torao to get back to his life, and he needed to return to the ocean as soon as possible.

Just before he fell into an uncomfortable sleep, the metal door across from their tank slammed open, jolting both of the Mermen into full alertness. Though his head swam, Luffy focused on the group that entered. They were led by a tall, broad human wearing white with some sort of food stuck to his face.

Behind him were definitely soldiers who dragged someone into the facility, locking the door behind them. Luffy couldn't hear much of what was said due to the water, but he felt his stomach drop when he realized who was held tightly with a bag over their head.

_Mr. Cora._

He'd recognize the lanky man's strange sense of style anywhere. Pushing through the pain and against his protesting muscles, Luffy swam up to the glass. The humans ignored him even when he began to beat on the glass with his fists, yelling for them to let Mr. Cora go.

It was bad enough that they took Torao away, but now his father!

"Luffy, stop! You're going to hurt yourself!" Sanji exclaimed, coming up behind him and pulling him away from the glass, "Either that or you'll activate something on these collars…save your strength."

He knew his friend was right, but it was so painful to not be able to do anything while someone you loved was taken who knows where. When Mr. Cora and his captors disappeared, Luffy floated dejectedly to the bottom of the tank, slowly drawing his nails over the surface into a fist (making them bleed). It was all so frustrating!

As Sanji helped him back to their little corner, Luffy locked eyes with one of the guards in front of their tank. There were four of them, most of whom looked mean, but this one appeared more curious than anything. The human swallowed and set her jaw, sending Luffy a strange look he interpreted as interest…or maybe pity.

Well, at least they weren't all jerks.

* * *

Law grit his teeth as yet another attempt to free himself failed miserably. No matter how hard he pulled and struggled, the cuffs remained firmly behind his back, keeping him attached to the chair. Adding insult to injury, his uncle had thought to bolt the piece of furniture to the floor, taking away every possible semblance of movement.

It was beyond frustrating.

'I hope Luffy-ya is all right…' He mused, twitching in pain as he yanked on his already bruised wrists. The Mer prince had been through enough already. And yet, it was strange, now that he thought about it. Luffy had lost his home, been chased by sharks, kidnapped multiple times now, but had never lost his smile.

That bright, warm smile.

Luffy was his opposite in every way: cheerful and sunny despite his circumstances. Even when he was small, cursed to be trapped in a tiny, helpless form, he'd smiled like he had nothing to worry about. Like his budding friendship with him and Cora was all that mattered.

It made Law's heart swell with happiness and guilt at the same time. There was a dark part of him that wanted to make sure Luffy never returned to the ocean and stayed with him, but he'd left that darkness behind when he'd turned himself in. Law was no longer the Surgeon of Death feared throughout the underworld.

'It would be nice though.' He admitted, cracking a soft smile at the thought of Luffy's antics. The Mer had quickly become the light to his darkness, the silver to his coal. Law knew he didn't deserve his friendship, but he would do anything to protect that newly formed bond between them.

He was drawn out of his thoughts by the door opening and his uncle sauntering back in, a cocky grin on his face.

"Did you miss me?"

"No." Law growled, ears picking up the sound of other people behind him. Were they finally here to torture him? From what he could tell, there were quite a few of them. "What do you want?"

"Oh, simply to have a nice _family_ conversation…" As he spoke, someone was dragged out from behind Law and handcuffed to a chair perpendicular to his own. His breath caught in his throat as the bag was torn off Cora's bloody head, duct tape over his mouth. Law tried to speak but found the words wouldn't come.

The sight terrified him more than he thought it would.

"Thank you for your hard work, Vergo." Doflamingo said, addressing the familiar man who was now standing by his side. The other grunts took that as their sign to leave, closing the door tightly behind the four of them.

"It was no problem, Doffy. These two need to learn what happens when they cross you." Law shivered against his will at the man's voice, recalling the many beatings he'd received from Vergo. His uncle cackled before reaching over and tearing the tape off Cora's mouth.

"Law, are you okay?" Were his first words, eyes full of concern for his wellbeing.

"Y-Yes, I am…but what about you-" He quieted himself briefly when Doflamingo punched his brother across the face, knocking a tooth out, "Stop it! Don't touch him, you bastard!" At his own outburst, Vergo punched him in the gut (a place that had been injured too many times over the past few days) causing him to spit up blood all over his shoes.

"Don't interrupt the adults when they're talking."

Law snarled at Vergo and spit out some blood onto the floor but stayed quiet. He'd always hypothesized that his uncle's loyal dog mirrored his master's mood, so it was best to remain silent, for now.

"Corazon…no… _Rocinante."_ Doflamingo snarled, ever present smirk vanishing, "My brother, how could you betray me, your own blood, so cruelly!" Cora inhaled sharply before sitting up as best he could and looking the other in the eye.

"I did it for Law, to save him-"

"He didn't need saving." His uncle snapped, fist clenching in anger. Cora's eyes narrowed.

"Like hell he didn't. When I finally found him, he was a drug addict on the verge of losing his humanity. You turned him into a monster, Doffy." Law swallowed and moved his eyes back to the towering mobster. He could tell from experience that the man was furious, just on the edge of losing his temper.

"I molded him into a man!" Doflamingo retorted, teeth barred, "He required a firm hand to bring out his inner potential and I was the potter. You were always too soft, Roci, blinded by your own feelings."

"Law didn't need you to become a man." Cora countered, face steady and calm, "He's become a fine one on his own, I've just helped guide him to the right path." He took a breath and turned to Law, forcing a smile before continuing.

 _"I'm so proud of him."_ At his praise, Law found himself tearing up. For the longest time, he'd cursed, literally spit in Cora's face. Even after admitting his error and going with his father, he'd never believed he could make up for what he did because, after everything…

How could his father be proud of him?

"…and more than anything," Cora said, turning back to Doflamingo, "he has Mom's unwavering spirit."

That statement, more than the others, finally pushed his uncle over the edge. Doflamingo stood up and began to beat his little brother mercilessly, blood spraying all over the floor. Law yelled for him to stop and flailed against his binds, to no avail.

"DON'T YOU DARE BRING HER UP TO ME!" The man roared, now choking Cora. Law had never met his adoptive grandparents because they'd died when the two brothers were very young. He'd made the mistake of asking about it once and had never done it again. It was a very sensitive subject for whatever reason.

"S-She…would h-have-" Cora managed between gasps, "-wanted L-Law to be free of you…D-Doffy."

"YOU'RE A LIAR!" Doflamingo yelled, finally releasing his brother but holding his collar fast in an unclenching grip, "Y-You're wrong…" For the first time in his life, Law bore witness to his uncle backing down, uncertainly showing behind those fearful glasses.

The terrifying Joker sat down shakily in his own chair (brought by Vergo), a hand coming up to pinch the bridge of his nose. Cora took a few deep breathes before fixing Doflamingo with a firm look.

"Mom would've loved Law, Doffy. More than either of us ever could." Law blinked, not sure what he was witnessing. Had his uncle actually _loved_ his mother!? Surely not! Not the monster who'd forced him to murder people in his basement!

Suddenly, the flamboyant man stood, smirk definitely gone now, replaced with a look of contemplation. But behind that mask, Law knew was a fury so raw it would splash off Cora and hit him.

"Vergo, entertain Law and Rocinante for the night, I'm going to rest. Don't kill them."

"Of course." The broad man replied, watching silently with the rest of them as Doflamingo left the room. When his boss closed the door, Vergo brought out his favorite bamboo rod and let it slide into his gloved hands. "Shall we begin?"

It was going to be a long night.

* * *

Though he was supposed to be on break, Lucci found that he couldn't sleep. The silence of the facility was deceptive and strangely unnerving, keeping him from falling into true slumber. He didn't mind, being active and productive was calming.

Leaving his quarters, Lucci walked around the building, weapon on his hip just in case. With two live Mermen held captive in the lab, he had no doubt Akagami and his clan would try something, the only question was _when._

He imagined the Admiral would be pleased to have finally found a way to lure his prey in, but Lucci wasn't sure capturing the elusive Mer would be so simple. After years of hunting, they'd found little to no trace of the red-scaled creature, not even a hint as to his human appearance. Hopefully, their lack of information wouldn't come back to bite them.

Lucci nodded to soldiers he passed, finding himself in the holding facility. He stopped next to a metal door and quietly slid the slot open to examine the single occupant. The pink-haired intern Coby appeared to be asleep on the cot, hopefully a bit less enthralled after receiving some heavy medication from their scientists.

Sleep was always the best way to reset the human body, natural or otherwise.

Sliding the small window shut, Lucci continued his walk through the heavily fortified building. He checked their walls for cracks, the search lights for flickering bulbs, systematically going from section to section. He had a feeling their security needed to be top notch over the next few days.

On his way back inside, he found himself in the lab. The holding tank glowed an unnatural blue, illuminating the two Mer sleeping inside. Or at least the sleeping form of the silver-tailed one. His companion was wide awake, watching over the younger one. Glancing away from them, he made his way over to the Admiral's office, moving the blinds to take a peek inside.

Akainu stood with his back facing him in front of a large board with strings and pictures. As he expected, the Admiral was going over all the facts to see if he'd missed anything regarding his quarry of so long. Lucci hadn't seen him this motivated in a long time.

Removing his hand from the blinds, he put it in his pocket, touching the abalone necklace stored there. It was warm against his skin, thrumming with what he knew was magic of some kind. Lucci had been a soldier for a long time and had never come across a situation that made him…uncertain, like these Mer's did.

Or rather, the silver-scaled boy. Maybe it was his youth, but the words of his friend echoed in his mind:

_"Luffy-ya is more human than you'll ever be."_

As a part of the DSDR, he'd vanquished ghosts, demons, even a wanna-be _witch_ who'd nearly burned down her entire town and had never once hesitated. It was his job to safeguard the citizens from supernatural threats, so why was he feeling so conflicted!? He'd killed Merfolk before!

'I need a drink…' Lucci mused, closing his fist around the necklace in his pocket as he approached the tank, making the four guards come to attention.

"Anything to report?"

"No, Sir!" One answered with a salute, "The albino woke not long ago and became a bit riled up when Mr. Doflamingo's subordinate returned, but the other one calmed him down. As you can see, he's sleeping now."

Yes, Lucci could see that. He imagined with how much sedative he'd been given, and the samples taken from him under Caesar's scalpel left him exhausted both physically and mentally. The blonde Mer growled at him when their eyes met but didn't do anything to indicate he'd try and attack (or splash him with water as he'd done many times after first arriving).

It bothered him that Doflamingo was using the facility as his own personal playground, his people coming and going as they pleased. Who knew what _Joker_ was up to with that tattooed man…?

Eyes flicking down to the silver-tailed boy one last time, Lucci turned to leave. However, something stopped him. Turning back to the guards, he observed them, unsure what had caught his attention. Three of them he knew and had worked for the Admiral for many years, but the fourth…

"You there, state your name and identification number."

"Of course, Sir." The soldier replied, clicking her heels together. She was young with short blonde hair pinned back from her face, "My name is Marguerite Lily, ID 75892-331. I was recently transferred here on recommendation."

"Who's recommendation?"

"Captain Bellemere…Sir."

Lucci raised an eyebrow at that. Bellmere? He'd heard of her…the decorated soldier who now ran a café in town and worked as a detective. Wasn't she retired? Pulling out his phone, he ran a quick check on Marguerite, just to be sure. The girl stood at attention while he checked, finding nothing out of the ordinary.

Though the fact that she'd arrived just that morning was a bit…odd. It normally took a lot longer to receive high enough clearance to even know about the existence of their facility. But he could find nothing else that sent up red flags, so he put his phone away.

"As you were."

* * *

 _"Good news, we have backup."_ Shanks informed the Mermaid Club, on speaker so everyone could hear, _"How's everything on your end?"_

"Pretty good, all things considered." Bonny replied, not taking her eyes off the computer for even a second, "Barto and Cavendish are getting a bit antsy." The two men didn't protest the statement as that was exactly how they felt. They were ready to go to the facility already.

_"Understandable. Will you be ready by morning?"_

"Yeah, definitely." She affirmed, taking a bite of pizza, "We'll be ready. Oh yeah, Rebecca went out saying something about-" Before she could answer, the door to Law's apartment burst open, revealing a tall women with a cigarette between his teeth. Everyone went dead silent, unsure what to say or do as the lady approached them and grabbed the phone off the desk.

"OI, SHANKS, YA BACKWASHED PIECE OF CRAP!" Ouch. "WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY FOR YOURSELF!"

 _"A-Ah…er…is that Bellemere?"_ Shanks managed, _"I don't think I deserve that-"_

"You sure as hell do." She interrupted, blowing smoke in Bonny's face. The detective was a strong, intimidating women with the sides of her head shaved and military tattoos on her arms. How had she known where to find them? "You knew Law and Rocinante were in trouble and yet, you didn't come to me!"

_"Well, it's a bit complicated and Rocinante wouldn't want-"_

"Screw what he wants! I'm his girlfriend!" She bellowed, making Rebecca flinch who'd come in after the flaming woman, "It's my job to go in guns blazing when he gets himself into trouble. That idiots soft as a cinnamon roll." Bellemere's eyes softened for a moment before she dropped a bag on the floor, eyes hard as steel.

"Listen, I'm going whether you like it or not. I've already got someone on the inside who can help us get in."

_"Y-You do!?"_

"Yeah, I've been trying to figure out what shady stuff goes on in that bunker for a long time now." Bellemere informed them, taking another drag, "Just so happens we started an undercover operation this morning."

Bonny listened to the conversation with amusement, doing her best to stay concentrated on her work while enjoying the banter. Bellemere was a force of nature. Not sure if the female soldier knew, she hit a few keys on her board to bring up a picture of Mer-Shanks and a new one of the albino, Luffy.

"Ya should probably know what you're getting yourself into."

"Ah, you mean about you brats and the Mermaids." Bellemere said, dismissing the photos with a wave, "I know, Rocinante told me weeks ago." Everyone stared at her with wide eyes. She knew!?

Bonny just shrugged and went back to her typing.

 _"…he told you about us?"_ Shanks said, voice firm and a bit surprised, _"And after I told him how important it was to keep Luffy a secret…"_ Bellemere laughed.

"You kidding? I was waiting for him to bring one home with how much merchandise and books he collects on the subject. But that's not important right now…" She smirked and pulled a massive rifle out of her bag, cocking it, "Let's go kick some ass!"


	13. Chapter 13

Law was jolted out of unconsciousness by a blaring alarm. The sudden movement made him hiss in pain, new bruises courtesy of Vergo peppering his skin. As ordered, the man had spent nearly the entire night with him and Cora, "punishing" them for their rebellion against Doflamingo.

Said man stood in front of them with a phone against his ear, turning slightly to observe the flashing red lights. Whatever happened had started only a few minutes before he woke up.

'Hopefully it's who I think it is…' Law thought hopefully, spitting out a glob of blood. Perpendicular to him, Cora was still out cold, head limp against his chest. Out of the two of them, his father had taken the brunt of the hard bamboo rod Vergo favored.

They needed to get him to a hospital, and fast.

"Understood." Vergo said to the person on the other end of the phone, "I will have them transferred to your vehicle before things get complicated."

He could only assume the man was talking to his uncle.

"…and the albino?" Law frowned at the mention of Luffy. Vergo didn't respond verbally to Doflamingo, and swiftly returned the phone to his pocket. Seconds after the call ended, more of his uncle's subordinates entered the room, clearly prepared to escort them back to _hell._

"Cora needs medical attention-"

"Shut up." Vergo interrupted, cuffing him over the head, "You'll both receive only what Doffy deems appropriate." With that, a bag was pulled down over Law's face, making it difficult to breathe. He was yanked out of the chair, momentarily freeing his hands, only for them to be re-shackled behind his back before he could even think to fight back.

It was very disorienting to be dragged through winding hallways, essentially blind, with a ridiculously loud alarm blaring in your ear every few seconds. Law tried to focus and deduce something useful, but it was hard enough to stay on his feet with how fast the men holding his arms were moving.

He wasn't even sure where Cora was.

Biting the side of his cheek, Law concentrated, listening for sounds of help coming their way. He could hear gunshots somewhere behind them and the shouts of soldiers engaging in combat, but it wasn't close enough…were they trying to go in through the front gate!?

They turned yet another corner, only for the men around him to stop suddenly. What happened?

"Oi, you there!" The thug holding his right arm snapped, "What the hell are you doing!?"

"I-I'm securing the door." A female voice replied, not far from them. Probably a soldier.

"Move." Vergo said calmly, but with a hint of frustration in his voice. Law assumed the woman being there wasn't part of the plan. In his mind, this was a good thing since beyond here was probably his uncle…waiting for him and Cora to be brought to him in chains.

"A-All right…" The soldier managed, a creaking noise filling the air as the door opened, "…if that's what you want." Why did the last part of her statement sound a bit _smug?_

"Hello, boys." A new voice sneered before something exploded in front of them with a bright flash. The force was enough to send all of them to the floor, but the hood thankfully protected Law from being totally blind. His ears rang as shots flew over him. Were these newcomers friends or foes? "-aw! Law, are you okay!?"

He flinched when someone grabbed him, hands probing at the hood. When it was finally wrenched off, Law blinked, trying to focus on the person's face. His eyes widened at the sight of his father's girlfriend.

"B-Bellemere-ya? What are you-"

"Save it." She interrupted, flipping his body around so she could work on his cuffs, "We need to get you two out of here." Law mutely nodded, looking at the mess that now surrounded them. A female soldier, probably the one from earlier, had a group of his captors in a corner at gunpoint while most of them were on the ground, unmoving.

Not far from him was the limp body of his father, currently getting the same treatment he was but by a familiar pink-haired girl. Rebecca appeared very nervous (if her shaking hands were any indication), but she made short work of Cora's cuffs and hood.

So, the Mermaid Club was here too.

'Took them long enough.' Law thought with a relieved huff. They were finally going to escape this horrible place.

"We need to get Luffy-ya!"

"Yeah, I know." Bellemere responded, finally removing the cuffs and freeing him, "The guys are out front making noise so we can find him, and you two. There's a truck waiting when we're ready to leave."

"Okay, where's-"

 _"Oi."_ A deep voice interrupted, furry evident in the gravely tone. Law and his allies immediately turned towards Vergo who was now off the floor. _Damn._ "Those two are coming with me." Bellemere immediately stood up and leveled her rifle at his face, no fear in her hardened eyes.

"Just try it, asshole."

The two of them stared at each other, the tension almost palpable. No one moved or even dared to breathe…until someone barreled into Vergo, knocking him to the floor. At first, Law didn't recognize the man, that is, until he stood to his feet.

"Y-You're…"

"What the hell do you think you're doing, _Daz Bones?"_ Vergo spit as he pulled himself off the floor. Crocodile's right hand didn't react to the other's question and simply reached up to loosen his tie. That only seemed to piss Vergo off more. "I never imagined you of all people would betray Mr. Zero-"

"Hold your tongue." Bones interrupted, anger clear on his face, "Everything I do is at the order of Sir Crocodile." Vergo wiped blood from under his nose and steadied himself, rod in his hand once more.

"I see. That's a shame."

Before the man could lunge for him, Bones glanced over to Law. His gaze was just as piercing as when he'd taken him and Luffy in broad daylight.

"Go, I will hold him here."

"…but, why-"

"Boss' orders, now GO!" With that, Bones and Vergo clashed in a furious bout, one Law never thought he'd see. Mr. Zero and Joker's most trusted men, trying to kill each other right in front of him. Bellemere snapped him back to reality by yanking him to his feet.

"Come on, I'll explain everything later!" Shouldering her rifle, Bellemere threw Cora's limp body over her shoulder (which was really something considering their size difference, and yet she did it like he weighed nothing) and ordered the female soldier to retreat with Rebecca before leading the way back into the depths of the facility.

Law's memory regarding the location of the lab was a bit fuzzy, but he did his best to give the officer a decent idea of where to go.

"Is Shanks-ya here too?" He would feel a lot calmer if the powerful Mer was there leading the charge.

"Yeah, he's here somewhere." Bellemere answered, adjusting Cora's body, "He's just gotta be careful…apparently one of the heads of this place has been hunting him for years." Understandable, especially considering he had a family to look after.

"…and Doflamingo?" He asked quietly, "Is he accounted for?" The woman huffed.

"One thing at a time, Law. We'll get him, but for now, let's focus on your little Mermaid friend." He cracked a smile.

 _"Merman,_ Bellemere-ya."

* * *

Luffy watched in confusion as lights flashed and human soldiers ran around with weapons held tightly. He'd been woken rather abruptly by their watery prison shaking, sending both him and Sanji into the glass wall.

"What's going on?" Sanji muttered to himself while Luffy scanned the growing crowd for familiar faces. It wasn't hard to pick out the 'clown-like' human…he looked like a jerk and was yelling stuff to those around him.

It was very chaotic until one voice quieted them all.

Luffy narrowed his eyes when the head agent entered, immediately taking charge of the men surrounding the tank. The human glanced at him briefly before lining up the soldiers in a recognizably defensive position.

"Activate all emergency protocols." The agent ordered, prompting one of his men to salute and do something to the panel connected to the tank. Luffy yelped when the control collars around his neck and waist violently pulled him off the bottom. The cables moved fast and forced the two Mermen to swim up if they didn't want to choke.

When the machine stopped, they were held on a short leash, unable to swim around the tank anymore. Sanji cursed the humans and tugged at the cable while Luffy worked to catch his breath. While his friend was vertical (and forced to move his tail constantly to keep himself upright), he was horizontal and prone, held facing downward just below the water's surface.

Though it was difficult to see, Luffy could feel the vibrations of footsteps as humans rushed up to the walkway above their tank. Sanji hissed at someone above them, and he assumed it was a soldier. Were they going to do something, or did they just want a better vantage point?

He desperately hoped whatever was going on was a rescue…

"Luffy, are you okay?" Sanji whispered, eyes focused upwards.

"Yeah…just caught me by surprise." He answered, squirming in the restraints in an attempt to get a little more comfortable. The metal was cutting into his skin.

"Steady!" The head agent called, holding up his hand. Below them, the humans aimed their weapons at the lab entrance. Luffy watched anxiously, waiting to see who would come through the door, if anyone at all. Could it be Shanks and the Mermaid Club?

"Sir!" A soldier exclaimed, rushing up to the head agent with a group in tow, "We apologize for taking so long! Where would you like us?" The long-haired human frowned at them.

"You're…you're supposed to be guarding the server room! Why are you here!?"

"W-Why?" The man stuttered, appearing confused, "We were told to come here and help guard the specimens."

"By whom!?"

 _"You_ …Sir."

The agent's eyes widened, and his fists clenched.

"I gave no such order! Get back to your post before-" He stopped short when the blaring alarm went silent. Luffy watched as all the doors slid open one after another. "No…the mainframe's been compromised! On your guard!"

Now that all the doors were open, the humans backed up slightly and appeared a bit less confident than they had been. Had their machines been fried? A crackle sounded throughout the compound before a female voice began to speak.

_"Eh…this thing on?" No one answered, and whoever it was chewed loudly into the microphone, "Well, anyway, this is a friendly announcement to let ya know that I have full control over your systems. So…yeah. Screw you, government assholes!"_

Luffy giggled to himself while the humans bristled. The lady sounded like Bonney, but he couldn't be sure with how distorted her voice sounded. Just as she turned off the speaker, footsteps could be heard coming ominously towards them. The soldiers pointed their weapons towards the noise, anxiety clear from their postures.

Seconds later, spears of _something_ shot out of the darkness and impaled nearby humans. Luffy felt a pit form in his stomach as he watched the familiar substance swirl and dry out those who touched it. No…why was he here?

Crocodile emerged from the tunnel with his one hand stuck in a pocket and fur coat billowing behind him. From his expression, he appeared almost bored.

"Oi, isn't that…" Sanji hissed while Luffy swallowed tensely, vividly recalling that he'd been the Mer's prisoner a few days before. Crocodile met his gaze and smirked, carelessly tossing guards around with his magic.

"Crocodile!" The head agent snarled, pointing his gun at the currently human Mer's head, "I should've known you were in league with the Royal!" Crocodile scoffed.

"Don't assume what you don't understand, human. I'm only here because your group keeps getting in my way…and now I have the opportunity to get rid of you." He chuckled darkly, "Though I won't deny getting to see _His Highness_ in such a demeaning position is an added bonus."

At that, Luffy decided to try out the human gesture Torao taught him and enjoyed the angry twitch he got from Crocodile in return. Who knew flashing a single finger could have so much power?

The Mer and the humans stared at each other for a few minutes. It was obvious to Luffy that they were frightened of Crocodile (for good reason). Only the head agent seemed calm and never let us gun waver.

"What are you waiting for, soldier?" A new voice bellowed. Luffy looked to the right as a well-dressed human entered. He was scowling and had a cap on his head.

"Admiral…"

"Kill the monster so we can clean up this mess." Crocodile laughed and held up his hook menacingly.

"Don't think it's so easy to kill me." The Admiral turned his nose up to the Mer.

"And you shouldn't be so cocky, _Mer,_ we've killed your kind before-"

"OI, WHAT THE HELL IS THIS!?" A second new voice demanded, making Luffy swivel his head to this left this time. His eyes widened in shock. There, standing across from the Admiral, was…the Admiral!? The humans were just as confused and looked between the two men, whispering among themselves.

"Who're you supposed to be?"

"Me!? Who the hell are you?"

The two argued and growled at each other from across the room. Luffy blinked, unsure what was going on. Did the human have a twin or something (they looked exactly alike!)? Finally, the head agent stepped forward, lowering his gun slightly.

"Damn it…which one is real?"

"Don't listen to him." Admiral 1 snarled, stalking forward, "He's the imposter!"

"Oh, really? State your identification number then!" Admiral 2 shot back, moving to meet the other in the middle of the room. Everyone watched with open mouths as the two argued, getting in each other's faces. This went on for a few minutes until the head agent said something that immediately drew only _Admiral 1's_ attention.

"Sir, we have information on Akagami's location." The second Admiral 1 turned and began to berate the agent for waiting to tell him, the human turned his gun on the other one, who'd already taken a few steps back. "So, you're the fake…I assume you're also the one who pretended to be me in the server room."

Admiral 2 smiled widely and flipped backwards stripping off his outer clothing as he went. Underneath the bulky jacket, cap, and other clothing was a weird human wearing one of the strangest outfits Luffy had ever seen.

"Aw, you figured it out! I was having so much fun too…" The funny man went up on his toes and twirled around in a circle. "How did you like my performance?"

"You're…Bon Clay!" The head agent exclaimed, gritting his teeth, "How dare you-"

"Ne, ne, Zero-chan!" The human interrupted, still spinning, "Did I do okay? My second costume was a bit rushed, but I think it worked well enough."

"Like I care." Crocodile replied, his deep baritone coming from somewhere other than by the door where he had been. Luffy spun around (as best he could, restrained like he was) with big eyes to stare at the Mer who had somehow made his way up to the walkway in the chaos. He had a cigar between his teeth and breathed out smoke in the face of a terrified soldier. "The second one was completely unnecessary."

Luffy turned away when the Mer began to butcher the humans above them, their blood dripping into the tank and soiling the water. There was now a fierce battle occurring outside the glass walls with the head agent trying desperately to reach the walkway and aid his men. The strange human was surprisingly light on his feet and took out soldier after soldier (including the clown with a very satisfying kick to the face).

He was, however, no match for the Admiral.

"Lucci!" The large man bellowed, stepping over the bloody body at his feet, "Secure the specimens, _now!"_ The head agent, Lucci apparently, grit his teeth and rushed towards the tank.

As the chaos continued, Luffy turned his attention to his restraints. He needed to free himself (and Sanji) before Crocodile could capture him again! His blue-tailed friend had the same idea and pulled violently at the collar securing him to the machine above.

"Luffy-ya!" A familiar voice called, bringing his head up immediately. Luffy's eyes darted around the room until they landed on Torao, looking beaten up but alive. The Mer prince smiled, and a sense of relief spread throughout his tired body. "Just hang on, we'll get you out!"

Torao was accompanied by a human woman who fought ferociously against any soldier that came towards them. She had a body thrown over her shoulder that looked suspiciously like Mr. Cora, which was good, but he looked hurt. Honestly, she seemed… _familiar._ For whatever reason, she reminded him of Nami who he'd met at the café, but that wasn't important right now.

What was important was that Torao was okay and they were going to get out of here-

A gunshot made his world go silent and still. All he could see was Torao falling to the ground, blood gushing from a hole in his shoulder. His Torao was hurt and bleeding already, but now-

Luffy saw _red,_ body vibrating in anger.

* * *

Law wasted no time rushing towards the tank that currently held Luffy prisoner, determined to get the Mer prince out. Bellemere had briefed him on Shanks and Crocodile's "alliance", but he wasn't willing to trust the Mer who'd done wrong to them so recently. He would free Luffy himself.

From what he could tell, there were cables of some sort holding him in place. Maybe he could disable them from the control panel-

Suddenly, pain shot through his body and he was falling forwards from the momentum. Law could hear Bellmere calling his name as he fell, but all he could focus on was the intensity of what he knew was a gunshot. Once on the floor, he grit his teeth and instinctively placed his left hand over the wound to stem the bleeding.

 _'Damn,_ that hurts.'

"Where the hell are you going, Law?"

He grimaced and managed to lift his head to make eye contact with the man who'd shot him. _Doflamingo._ He'd secretly hoped his uncle had left in the chaos of the attack, but nothing seemed to go his way…and the man hadn't been as affected by Cora's speech as he'd originally thought.

Doflamingo smirked tensely and looked around the room, taking in everything without moving the barrel of the pistol trained on Law. When his gaze fell on Crocodile who was perched on the walkway above the two mermen, his smug smile fell.

"Mr. Zero…you…"

 _"Joker."_ Crocodile greeted lowly, taking a drag.

"So, you've chosen them over me?"

The Mer didn't respond and stared at the tall man pointedly. Law deduced this would most likely be the end of their business relationship. Before anything more violent could occur, the entire room shook. Unable to keep himself upright, Law fell onto his less injured side, very confused as to what was happening.

The lights blinked on and off, drawing more attention to the fact that the water of the tank was swirling rather dangerously and _glowing_ with a harsh blue light. What on earth was happening!? The men standing on the walkway scrambled down to the floor when it collapsed, sending one soldier into the water.

Crocodile nimbly leapt down and turned to frown at the tank. Law's attention returned to the water and, more specifically, what was causing the phenomenon. There, no longer restrained by metal, was Luffy. He kept himself upright with his magnificent (if injured) tail, but what truly drew his eye were the light blue marks that swirled around the prince's torso like tattoos. They reminded him of waves and pulsed with magic energy. Luffy had his arms outstretched, like he was bending the water to his will.

'Holy crap.' Law thought, swallowing hard when he realized Luffy's normally warm eyes had turned almost white. The prince's anger was almost palpable. The other merman's restraints were snapped by the water, successfully freeing him. 'I didn't think Luffy-ya had so much control over his ability…'

During his time with Luffy, he'd learned a few things. One of which was though he'd inherited a powerful ability from his father that involved controlling water itself, he wasn't very skilled at using it. And yet, there he was, wearing the water like a royal veil as it spun around him and refracted off his scales, creating a visage of what Law knew he was: a _prince._

Everyone (including Law himself) could only stare slack-jawed at Luffy, watching his wounds heal and scales return. Whatever magic he was channeling was immensely powerful. After gathering the water around him, Luffy thrust his hands forward, breaking through the glass with a wave of water.

It washed over the soldiers, sending them into the walls or out the doors. Law curled up into a protective posture on the floor, preparing for the wave…that never came. Amazingly, the water was directive and only targeted their enemies (though that wasn't to say he didn't get _wet)._ It avoided not just him, but also Bellemere, Cora, and even Crocodile to an extent.

What water did come to him was gentle and snaked up his injured arm in seconds, causing his wound to tingle. It glowed with a bright light before falling away and leaving behind new skin. Law held up his arm, touching where the hole at been in awe. Was this Luffy's supposed healing ability that came with being a Silver-Scale?

He'd never seen it affect anyone other than Luffy himself.

The Mer prince swam through the water, guiding it to where he wanted it to go. It healed those he wanted and tore into those who were enemies. Even Doflamingo had been thrown out of the room by a violent surge. When it was over, the controlled liquid farthest away from Luffy fell first, drenching anyone and everything around (that wasn't already soaking wet).

The blue-tailed Mer fell to the floor with a yelp, followed slowly by Luffy who was lowered almost reverently by the water veil surrounding him. The blue marks faded, and his eyes closed, leaving him limp on the hard floor. Law wasted no time going to him while everyone else recovered from the onslaught.

"Luffy-ya, are you all right!?" The Mer groaned and opened his eyes, looking tired but better than he had been hanging in the tank by those cables.

"Torao? Why're you all wet…" Luffy slurred, reaching up to mess with his dripping locks. Law chuckled and flicked the Mer in the nose, making his face scrunch up.

"That was all you…do you not remember?"

"I dunno…I remember being mad, lots of water and stuff, and then you." Luffy spoke slowly, eyes back to their warm chocolate color that Law found he preferred to the stark white they had been, "Ne…was I cool?"

"Very cool." Law affirmed, bringing Luffy into a hug. The Mer immediately nuzzled into his shirt and sighed contently when he ran fingers through his damp raven hair. It was nice to sit there with Luffy reclined against him, cold bodies doing nothing to retain warmth, but it didn't matter. Just being there, with him, was enough.

When he finally pulled away, Luffy darted in and touched noses with him. Unlike the last time that had been a brief rub, he reached up with webbed hands to cup Law's face and hold their foreheads together. Luffy's eyes were closed but scrunched up in emotion.

"T-Torao…" He let out a shaky breath before opening his eyes, "I'm so glad you're okay."

Law was taken aback by the tears and pure happiness on Luffy's face. The Mer looked at him like he was _gold,_ the treasure he'd claimed him to be. Unsure of how to respond, he simply leaned into the touch, bringing his hands up to the other's temples.

"Yeah, I'm fine… _we're_ fine."

They stayed there for a few seconds until someone cleared their throat.

"Now may not be the best time for a mushy reunion." Luffy giggled and pulled away, nearly flopping over in the process.

"Shishishi, Sanji, this is Torao, the human I told you about!" The blue-tailed merman looked Law over with a critical eye. "He's my treasure!" Wow, so apparently that was just something you told _everyone._

The other merman, Sanji, inclined his head to Law and propped himself up on his elbows. He seemed…reluctantly friendly. Though the look in his eye screamed 'you step out of line, and I'll eat your face'.

"Yeah, the one Luffy _imprinted_ on…" Sanji didn't seem pleased with that knowledge, but there was nothing Law could do about that. The whole thing had happened without his knowledge! Though Shanks had explained it to him, it had yet to truly make sense to his logical mind.

"Anchor!" A voice exclaimed, "Glad to see you're all right!" From the ceiling, a man dropped, wearing a hoodie that was pulled low over his face.

"Shanks!" Luffy chirped, still on the floor flopping around like a fish out of water (…wait…). The red-haired Mer ruffled the younger's hair and nodded to Sanji. His eyes scanned the room, lingering on Crocodile who stood watching from a distance and an unconscious soldier with a cap and white coat.

"I'm glad everyone's okay-"

"Not everyone." Bellemere interrupted, kneeling beside Cora who was now on the floor. Law immediately rushed to his father's side and checked his vitals. His breathing was shallow, and his skin was abnormally pale. It seemed Luffy's healing water hadn't reached Cora.

"Luffy-ya, can't you do something!" The prince looked unsure and bit his lip.

"I-I don't know…I can't-"

"There's no time." Shanks interrupted, pivoting to another unconscious man on the floor who looked to have been beaten. Law assumed he was one of Crocodile's men because none of the government soldiers were wearing pink. "I don't think Luffy's magic healed those who were already unconscious…a side-effect of him not being fully in control. Bellemere, take the boys out front and go to the hospital. I'll make sure Law, Luffy, and Sanji get out safely."

Knowing he was right, Law helped Bellemere get Cora back onto her shoulder and watched tensely as she ran out the front gate. He would be okay, he had to be. As much as he wanted to be with his father, he needed to get Luffy back into the ocean first. Suddenly, a cough drew his attention. Struggling on the floor not far from where the tank used to be, was the head agent, looking very waterlogged.

Recalling a very crucial piece of information related to their successful escape, Law approached the man. When he reached for his gun, the doctor swiftly kicked it away and drug the man to his feet by the collar.

"You have something that belongs to Luffy-ya." The agent tried to kick him, but with how sluggish he was, it was simple to dodge and punch him right in the jaw. When he went skidding across the wet floor, something came out of his pocket and sparkled against the lingering water. Scooping up the abalone necklace, Law glared at the man. "You won't _ever_ lay hands on him again."

The agent took a few greedy breathes before meeting his gaze.

"I don't intend to."


	14. Chapter 14

Law glared down at the agent for a few seconds before spinning around and jogging back to Luffy. Shanks stood protectively over them as he clasped the abalone necklace around the Mer's neck, causing him to inhale sharply as his tail began to morph into human legs. When he was human again (and naked, as per usual), Law quickly looked around for something to cover him with.

Unfortunately, most of the available clothing nearby was either sopping wet or bloodied.

"Here, use this." Shanks said, pulling off his red hoodie and tossing it to Luffy, "It'll have to work for now."

"Shishishi, thanks!" Luffy replied, slipping it on over his head and shakily standing to his feet. The hoodie was large on him, obscuring his hands and coming down to the middle of his thighs. "What about Sanji?"

Law glanced to the other Mer, cursing himself for not realizing the obvious: Sanji needed his charm back too.

"Do you have any idea where it could be?" Law asked, making the blonde Mer frown.

"No…sorry, I was unconscious when they brought me here."

He clicked his tongue in frustration. If it wasn't one thing, it was another. Beside him, Luffy took hold of his arm, using it to help keep him balanced. Shanks pulled out his phone, swiftly dialed something, and held it up to his ear.

"Bonney, I need you to locate something for us-" He paused, listening to the woman on the other end, "Really? Good work! We're in the main laboratory, meet us here as soon as you can."

"What did she say?"

"She's already on it." Shanks replied, putting his phone away, "Looks like she's recruited someone you know to help her find it." Law tilted his head, considering who it could be. His list of acquaintances was quite small…

"…could it be, Coby?"

"Yeah, that's the name!"

Law huffed incredulously, thinking how his pink-haired co-worker (who had gotten them into this mess in the first place), was actually helping them get out. How ironic. A deep chuckle drew him out of his thoughts and made Luffy growl from where he was standing, glued to Law's arm like a barnacle.

"Well, seems like you've got everything figured out."

"Why're you even here, Crocodile!?" Luffy hissed, barring his sharp teeth. The older Mer just sneered down at him.

"I'm simply making the best of the opportunities placed before me, _Your Highness."_ He bowed mockingly, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm not quite finished with this damn facility." At that, he dissipated into a cloud of sand, sending it rushing in between Law and Luffy. The tattooed doctor quickly held onto the bottom of the red-hoodie, trying to maintain the Mer prince's current level of decency.

"…jerk…" Luffy spit quietly, straightening the hoodie. Shanks huffed, running a hand through his hair. Though his demeanor appeared casual, his eyes were scanning the room, watching every door. They may have taken out most of their enemies, but there was still a chance his Uncle and the Admiral were around.

Not to mention the head agent who hadn't moved from his spot on the floor, watching their group closely.

* * *

Lucci was careful not to make any sudden movements, not wanting to startle the group into attacking him. He didn't have many options and was running dangerously low on allies.

It was…strange, how _human_ the Merfolk could appear.

He'd noted it with the albino, but the red-haired one had obviously mastered human mannerisms and could seamlessly blend in with their kind. Had he not recognized the Mer as _Akagami,_ the Admiral's prey, he doubted there was any reliable way to tell that he was any different from the average human.

Lucci's eyes darted to the blonde Mer still on the floor.

They would have to wait on their comrade to bring the other charm before leaving. He knew from experience that moving a Mer was very difficult due to the heaviness of their tails. Perhaps there was something he could do to delay them further…until the Admiral returned, as Lucci knew he would.

There was no way the man would let the scarlet-scaled Mer escape when he finally appeared before him.

Thankfully, he didn't have to wait very long.

 _"Akagami."_ A voice growled, making the older Mer frown and turn to face the newcomer. "You're shorter than I imagined."

The Admiral was soaking wet, but held himself tall as he re-entered the room, having finally recovered from the albino's sudden attack. He held a gun in his right hand, prompting Akagami to motion the younger ones behind him.

"Akainu." The red-head answered, eyes fierce and protective, "When will you finally give up your obsession and leave us in peace!? We have done _nothing_ to deserve your relentless hunting!" The Admiral chuckled darkly, leveling the gun with the other's head.

"And let the prize of a lifetime slip away yet again? I don't think so."

Lucci observed the tense standoff closely, watching for an opening. If he could just grab one of them (preferably one of the youths), they could resolve this whole mess. While everyone's gaze was on the Admiral, Lucci began to slink behind them, eyeing the unsteady albino.

"This fascination with me must end." Akagami retorted, taking a step forward, "You will _never_ capture me, or those I care about."

"HA! That's what you think, Mer." Akainu replied, bringing up his left hand to steady his barrel, "Once I have you, I will finally be given the respect I deserve. I will be promoted, _honored,_ and given the authority to clear all of your kind out! Starting with you three monsters…and then, your precious little _family."_

At that, Akagami tensed.

"Don't think I haven't figured it out." Akainu continued, smirking, "You're that beach bum who runs the pet store in town…the one with the pregnant wife. Won't she be surprised when I personally escort her to-"

"You lay a hand on Makino and I'll _kill_ you." The red-haired Mer snarled, eyes glowing dangerously. Lucci stopped his slow advance, swallowing impulsively at the sharp increase in pressure. Akagami was angry, and in his opinion, the Admiral was pushing buttons that shouldn't be pushed.

This creature was dangerous, and his superior was like a child poking a wild animal with a stick.

"I've studied you, Akagami, and I know your M.O. You're no threat to me." Akainu shot back, moving forward slightly, "Don't worry, we won't be too rough with the woman, unless she's truly human…in that case, we'll have to get rid of that _monstrosity_ before it's born-"

That was enough to push Akagami over the edge. With a piercing snarl, scales appeared all over his body and he charged the Admiral at terrifying speed. The albino and the tattooed male hit the floor next to the blue-tailed one when Akainu opened fire, trying to shoot the rampaging Mer.

Lucci grit his teeth and covered his own head as bullets began to ricochet off the metal of the lab. Not far from him, the albino Mer was being shielded by the human, Trafalgar blanketing the smaller body with his own.

For all his trying, the Admiral couldn't hit Akagami, and what _did_ connect, simply bounced off his scales. Lucci watched as the Mer tore into Akainu with his teeth, having lost all sense of the humanity he'd observed previously. He knew the Merfolk were extraordinarily possessive of their mates and fry, but this was…

"SHANKS!" The albino shouted, voice breaking, "Please, that's enough!"

Akagami stopped tearing into the now twitching flesh of his prey, breathing hard. The Mer prince gently freed himself from the tattooed man's protective grasp and stood to his feet, lip quivering.

"A…A-Anchor?" The other stuttered, blood dripping from his jaw.

"Come back, Shanks." He called soothingly, prompting the scarlet-scaled Mer to turn around, "Please, let's just get out of here."

At that, Akagami took a deep, shuddering breath and wiped blood from his mouth, apparently working to get back in control. What the prince said seemed to be working. Noting their main protector was across the room (and the Admiral was…out of commission, hopefully not dead yet), Lucci crept closer, hoping to grab the albino and use him as a hostage.

Unfortunately, just as he got close, something hit him on the back of the head, _hard._

He was unconscious within seconds.

* * *

Luffy whirled around when someone grunted right behind him, drawing his attention away from Shanks. His eyes widened at the sight of the head agent falling to the floor, dangerously close to him. Had he been trying to grab him!?

Surprisingly, the one who'd protected him…was Coby?

"O-Oh…" The pink-haired human whimpered, hands shaking around the club thing he was holding, "I am sooo fired."

He smiled brightly at Torao's (and his) friend, pleased to see him. After everything that happened, he'd worried Coby had been unnecessarily punished.

"Nice work, kid." Bonney said with a smirk, throwing her arm around the quivering teen, "Couldn't have done it better myself."

"Coby-ya, Bonney-ya, I'm glad you're both okay." Torao put in, moving to stand beside Luffy before glancing down to Sanji who was still just laying on the floor, unable to move, "Do you have his charm?"

"Sure do!" Bonney exclaimed, tossing a rather gaudy pearl necklace with a large shell in the middle to Sanji, who wasted no time putting it on. Within seconds, he had legs of his own and stood to his feet, waving off a helping hand from Torao.

Luffy skipped forward and hugged the other Mer, almost knocking him over in the process.

"Yay! Now we both have legs!"

"Y-Yeah…" Sanji replied, body very tense, "But hopefully not for long…Luffy…please let go, you're crushing my ribcage."

"Shishishi, sorry!"

The second he released his blonde guard, Sanji turned to Bonney and began to fawn over her.

"Ahhh, how wonderful to be helped by such a beautiful flower!" Luffy laughed as the pink-haired human recoiled, not used to Sanji's antics, "I am in your debt, my gorgeous, delicate, angel of the-"

"HAH!? _Delicate!?"_ Bonney interrupted Sanji's fawning by throwing him to the ground and putting him in a choke hold, "Is THIS delicate, ya scaly bastard!" Sanji, for his part, appeared not to care and just started bleeding out of his nose.

"Viva _human ladies!"_

Even Torao cracked an amused smirk as Bonney continued to torture Sanji with various holds (apparently not caring that he was completely naked), bringing some laughter into a very dark place.

"Good work, Bonney." Shanks said as he walked back over to them, a small smile on his face. Luffy immediately turned to him, concerned. He'd never seen his mentor lose control like that before. The older Mer ruffled his hair. "Don't worry, Anchor, I'm fine. Thanks for bringing me back."

Luffy grinned and rubbed his cheek against the other's undershirt, minding the blood stains.

"Then…is it time to go?" Torao asked, "I don't know about all of you, but I know Luffy-ya and I are ready to get the hell out of here." Luffy nodded in agreement, moving from Shanks to attach himself to Torao's torn shirt. Knowing the humans had hurt his treasure made him tremble with anger, but now wasn't the time.

Plus, he knew Torao was worried about Mr. Cora. The human hadn't looked good when his mate had carried him out of there.

"I-I think I'll stay." Coby stuttered, straightening up, "Honestly, I feel responsible for this whole mess, so I want to be here to help clean it up."

"You sure?" Shanks asked, "There's still dangerous characters around."

"Y-Yeah…I'll be fine! Thank you for your concern….er…S-Sir!"

After saying goodbyes, the group made their way out front and Luffy marveled at the damage done by the other Mermaid Club members. For a couple of humans, they sure were destructive. Since Mr. Cora's mate had apparently taken the 'get-away' truck, Torao did what he called 'hot-wiring' to get one of the facility's trucks running.

Luffy thought it was pretty awesome, but according to Shanks, it was illegal? He didn't really understand.

As they rode away from the facility, Luffy snuggled close to Torao, leaning into his warmth. So much had happened since they'd first met…most of it fun, some of it scary, but he'd go through all of it again if it meant meeting Torao.

His protector, pod-mate, treasure, and friend.

"Something wrong?" The human whispered, looking down at him with concerned eyes. Luffy just hummed and closed his eyes briefly.

"Just thinking 'bout stuff."

"Like what?"

"Shishishi, you," He answered, chuckling quietly, "and how cool you are…and…and other stuff." Torao smirked.

"Other stuff? Don't hurt yourself with all this thinking, Luffy-ya." He pouted at that.

"I won't, stupid Torao!"

* * *

Law couldn't help but laugh at Luffy's puffed out cheeks. He looked like a chipmunk or something. It was good to see the Mer acting more like his normal, cheerful self.

They were finally free, this time for good.

After about thirty minutes of driving, Luffy fell asleep, drooling on his shoulder. Law didn't mind, and eventually decided to join him. He was physically and mentally _exhausted,_ from the events of the last few days.

'Hopefully, Cora's all right…'

He was rudely awakened a while later when their vehicle hit a particularly large bump, sending both him and Luffy to the floor.

"Ouch…that hurt…" Luffy whined, rubbing his head. Law grunted in agreement, scowling at Sanji who chuckled at them. After helping the still drowsy Mer prince to his feet, Law turned to examine their surroundings and frowned.

This…wasn't the hospital.

"We're here." Shanks said, agilely leaping out of the truck and motioning for them to follow. Beside him, Luffy made a sound of excitement and rushed forward towards the foaming ocean tide. They were on a beach, a familiar one.

'This is where I found Luffy-ya…' Law mused, enjoying the feeling of nostalgia. It felt like so long ago.

"Ne, ne, Shanks, what're we doing here?" Luffy asked, tilting his head in cute confusion. Shanks sighed.

"Anchor…I know this may seem sudden, but I think it's time for you to return to the ocean." Law stiffened at that, stomach dropping. Luffy blinked and glanced at him, eyes big and sorrowful.

"I…oh…b-but now?"

"Yes, now." Shanks said while approaching the prince, Bonney not far behind him, "You've been away for too long and Raftel needs you. Your _family_ needs you. Leave this whole mess to us, we'll get it all figured out."

For Law, it was like he suddenly had tunnel vision. Cora was in the hospital, possibly dying, and now Luffy was leaving…leaving him _alone._ He didn't want his life to go back to the way it had been. Without the Mer who'd somehow inserted himself into his daily routine, everything seemed so…dull and lifeless.

"Okay…um, just give me a second…please?" Luffy managed, turning to face him. They stared at each other, trying to find words to say. Taking them by surprise, Shanks huffed, walked right up to Luffy, and removed his necklace, forcing him to turn back into a full-fledged merman right there on the sand. "W-What, oi Shanks! That wasn't a second!"

"I know, I know, just relax." The older Mer scolded, turning to Law, "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."

Law gulped, not liking the growing smirk on Shanks' face. Before he could react, the Mer was on him, snapping the necklace around his neck, and throwing him over his shoulder. Almost immediately, his vision went blurry and his body felt like it was _contorting,_ changing into something else.

Seconds later, his aching body hit the water, and he instinctively held his breath, keeping the fluid from entering his lungs. He tried to swim up, but his legs wouldn't listen to him. The water wasn't terribly deep where he'd been thrown in, but a tide was taking him out to sea, causing him to panic.

Was this it…was he going to die?

When he couldn't hold his breath anymore, he inhaled deeply, and was surprised. He…wasn't drowning? What the hell was going on?

"Torao! Are you… _woah_ …" Luffy's voice reverberated through the ocean, startling him. Law turned around and saw the albino Mer had followed him, his gorgeous tail propelling him easily through the water. He stopped right in front of him, eyes full of wonder. "Y-You're…"

Law followed his gaze and looked down, mouth dropping open. Where his pants had been was a tail black as night. Yellow ridges framed the sides and speckled the fins, but…holy crap.

"I-I'm a…" He managed, finding it strange to speak underwater, "Mer?"

Luffy grinned before plowing into him for a hug.

"You're a Mer! You know what this means, Torao? You can come to Raftel with me!"

"I-I suppose I can."

"Oi, you idiots okay!" A new voice called; one Law recognized as belonging to Sanji. The blue-tailed Mer swam to a stop in front of them and raised an eyebrow. "Damn, can't believe that worked…"

"Isn't it great?"

"Yeah, it's great…"

Sanji didn't seem too pleased with this new occurrence. Law flicked his tail, trying to get his body to go up. He had no intention of leaving without a proper explanation from Shanks. After a few seconds of struggling, Luffy grabbed his hands and mirrored him.

"Do this, Torao! Come on, I'll help you."

Grunting a thanks, Law focused on his new tail, studying the way it moved in comparison to Luffy's. After a few minutes, they broke the surface, causing their sweatshirts (both of them were still wearing) to cling to their skin. The beach wasn't as far away as he'd thought and, with Luffy's help, it didn't take long to backtrack.

"So…how was it?" Shanks asked, a mischievous glint in his eye. Law growled, slamming his tail down.

"What the hell!? You could've killed me!"

"Oh, you're fine…just relax."

Law clicked his tongue, finding it hard to concentrate on his anger when Luffy was poking and prodding at his new appendage.

"Smile!" Bonney called, snapping a picture of the three of them, "Gotta show the rest of the club…this is great!" After they'd successfully freed their bodies of wet clothing, Shanks began to offer his explanation.

"Listen, the charms work both ways: they'll turn a Mer into a human, and a human into a Mer." He shrugged, "Figured it was common knowledge, but apparently not."

"Will it wear off?"

"If you take off the necklace, yes." Shanks said, kneeling down in front of them, "But listen, if that thing is removed while you're deep underwater…well, you know what'll happen."

Law gulped, imaging his body being crushed by the pressure, if he didn't drown first. Luffy giggled and draped himself over his back, curling his tail around Law's.

"Don't worry, Torao, I'll protect you!"

For whatever reason, that wasn't terribly reassuring. Maybe he was just distracted by the fact that Luffy's _entire weight_ was currently on top of him. The kid's tail was stupid heavy out of the water!

"Y-You planned this, didn't you?" Law managed while trying to push Luffy off so he could properly breathe. Shanks smirked.

"Just figured you'd want some extra time with each other."

"Yay, let's go save Raftel!" Luffy exclaimed after being pushed off and landing in the shallow water.

Oh boy…liberation…what a nice, _peaceful_ outing. Even so, Law felt pleased that he'd get more time with Luffy (even if it wasn't exactly…safe…). As long as they didn't get captured or kidnapped again, he'd had enough of that…

Luffy and Sanji waved goodbye and swam out into the deep, leaving Law beached. He eyed Shanks seriously.

"Take care of Cora."

His Dad would be upset he hadn't gotten a chance to see him like this. He'd probably want to have a photo shoot for the family album.

"I will." Shanks responded, gazing out to where Luffy had vanished, _"You_ take care of Anchor. Remember, you're pod-mates now, and there are dark forces at work out there."

Law nodded and turned himself around (rather ungracefully) so he could dive under the water. As he awkwardly swam to where he could see Luffy and Sanji were waiting, he recalled what he could about the prince's kingdom.

'He said something about dark magic…sharks…what else?'

"Shishishi, you're doing great, Torao!" Luffy praised, swimming circles around him. He huffed, wishing he was a stronger swimmer in general.

"Thanks, Luffy-ya."

The prince grinned and grabbed his hands again, this time spinning him. Bubbles formed where their tails agitated the water, creating a beautiful scene. It was like they were dancing, and Law couldn't help but return Luffy's contagious laugh as they gracefully spun with each other, the light of the sun illuminating his silver tail.

It was…nice, to be able to meet Luffy in the ocean, his home.

Suddenly, the prince stopped and rushed in to brush their noses together (like he had a habit of doing), the very tip of his tail caressing Law's.

"I'm sooo glad you're here Torao, with me...my treasure."

"Y-Yeah…me too." Law gulped, feeling a blush spread up to his face at the final, whispered word. _His treasure._ Someone clearing their throat brought them back to reality.

"You two done… _frolicking?"_ Sanji asked, watching them with crossed arms. Luffy just laughed while Law scoffed.

They weren't 'frolicking'…just…swimming…around each other. Yeah. It was totally different.

* * *

Sanji fell behind Luffy and the human quickly, a pit forming in his stomach. It was hard to watch his prince so happy when he knew what was coming. The deadline the Scavenger King had set for him was quickly approaching, and he would expect him to deliver Luffy without delay.

He didn't want to, of course, but felt like he had no choice, not when Zoro and Usopp's lives were at stake.

'Please, forgive me, Luffy.'

At the prince's call, Sanji sped up, doing his best to hide the shame he feared was clear on his face.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! So this is the last chapter I have fully complete at the moment. I'm currently working on Chapter 16 and will have it up as soon as it's done. Thank you so much for all the kudos and comments :)
> 
> I'll see ya'll next update!

Zoro growled and threw himself against the metal bars once again, frustrated _beyond belief_ at the situation they'd found themselves in. For weeks now, he and Usopp had been trapped in a cell, awaiting Sanji's return.

'If that idiot actually brings Luffy…I'll kill him!'

Now more than ever, Raftel needed its prince. They didn't have time to deal with the Scavengers!

"Oi, oi…why don't you give it a rest already!" Usopp said from where he sat, his back against the rock wall, "No matter how many times you hit it, it's not going to break."

"So, what? I should just wait for curly-brow to return and hand our prince over to the sharks!?" The other huffed.

"N-No…I'm not saying that, but you've tried _everything_ to get us out and don't you think we should be saving our strength?"

As much as Zoro wanted to continue fighting, Usopp was right. The deadline set for Sanji was quickly approaching. So, if he did end up bringing Luffy, they would need to be ready to protect him.

And hopefully not get caught again.

* * *

Katakuri gazed out to sea, deep in thought.

Something was different today…a familiar scent had finally returned to the ocean. One he and his people desperately needed.

'It seems the small-Mer is going to be earlier than anticipated.'

"What is it, Brother?" Cracker asked, swimming up so he was next to him.

"The Silver-Scale has returned…finally." Katakuri informed him, making his little brother tense up in anticipation, "Gather our warriors and get the prisoners ready to travel. We leave for Akh-Shorn Reef as soon as you're ready."

Cracker bowed and swiftly swam away to carry out his orders. Their small-Mer prisoners had certainly been a handful and, frankly, Katakuri was happy they would finally be rid of them. The one with green-hair, Zoro, was particularly violent and had managed to injure quite a few of his brethren.

Once the prince was theirs, they could finally work to heal his people for good and discover the cause of the pollution. He smirked, recalling how Dragon had been so opposed to the idea. How the tables had turned…now there was no one to stop him from taking the young prince.

As he swam back towards their dungeons, Katakuri found himself wondering if the Silver-Scale was still cursed…if so, that could complicate things.

'Regardless, he will be ours and, if he knows what's good for him, he'll do _exactly_ as I say.'

* * *

When Rocinante woke, it was to white walls and the monotonous sound of beeping. He blinked, confused as to where he was. The last thing he remembered was Doffy, Vergo…and Law-

At the thought of his son, he shot up in bed, breathing hard. All around him, alarms went off, but he didn't care.

"Law!?" He exclaimed, trying to untangle himself from the sheets, "Law, where are you-"

"Roci, stop it!" A voice yelled while pushing him back against the pillow. It took a few seconds for him to recognize the person as Bellemere, his kickass girlfriend.

"B-Belle? Where am I? Where's Law!?"

"Just relax…everything's fine." She soothed, sitting on what he now recognized as a hospital bed, "You're in the hospital. Law's fine, Shanks got him, Luffy, and the others out." At that, Rocinante relaxed, focusing on taking deep breathes.

Thank God Law was okay.

"Where is he? Can I see him?" Bellemere huffed and crossed her arms.

"Yeah, that's gonna be a bit tough seeing as he apparently decided to accompany Luffy into the ocean."

Rocinante blinked, letting that statement sink in.

"I'm sorry…WHAT!?" He tried to sit up again, "Call Shanks right now! Law is a horrendous swimmer and-" Bellemere smacked him on the head and sent him back into the pillow with a firm stare.

"Relax. Shanks worked it all out. Here, it's probably easier for me to just show you." Bellemere dug around in her pocket until she pulled out her phone. She tapped on something before flipping it around for him to see. His mouth dropped open.

The picture featured Law, Luffy, and another blonde male, all sporting _tails._ His son wore the abalone necklace Shanks had given Luffy and looked peeved, but all he could focus on was the gorgeous black, speckled tail.

It contrasted so nicely with the white of the Mer prince's and just…fit him.

All in all, Rocinante was immensely jealous he hadn't been there to take more pictures.

"See? He's fine." Bellemere continued, putting her phone away. He immediately pouted, but yelped when the hospital bed suddenly reclined, forcing him to lay down completely. "You should get some rest while you can…we've got a lot to talk about after the fiasco at the facility."

According to his girlfriend, the police and other government officials were now swarming the ruined lab, taking statements and salvaging what they could. Doffy was nowhere to be found and Crocodile (why had he been there!?) had retreated with his men as well.

"We have to find him!"

"Yeah…we're working on it. Now _shut up_ and let me finish!"

"Yes, ma'am."

The police were, as expected, very confused on what had actually occurred, but were determined to figure it out given how many casualties there were, including one Admiral Akainu, who looked to have been torn limb-from-limb by some 'beast'. Law's friend Coby and some of the other agents had remained behind and were taken in for questioning.

"Do you think Luffy and Shanks will be discovered?"

"I doubt it." Bellemere stated, "The government is working hard to clean this whole mess up. They've already sent in a 'special task force' to start taking over from the police. Looks like they're desperate to cover their asses after this massive embarrassment."

Made sense. They wouldn't want word to get out about inhumane experiments being done on beautiful creatures like the Mer. Or that they existed, for that matter.

"It sounds like it's being handled."

"Yeah, gives us more freedom to search for that psycho brother of yours." Rocinante frowned and clenched his fists, ignoring the pain his body was in for a moment. Doffy had always been a looming shadow over him and Law despite their attempt to peacefully separate from him.

And now, he'd crossed the line. His son had been _injured,_ almost forced back into the life that they'd worked so hard to escape from.

Rocinante wouldn't allow Doffy to lay a hand on Law ever again.

* * *

Swimming with a tail, Law quickly discovered, was much easier than swimming with legs. With the proper motions, one could literally glide through the water with a grace that humans simply weren't capable of.

Of course, that didn't mean it came naturally.

Even with Luffy's encouragement and basic instruction, Law felt like all he was doing was flopping around creating bubbles. He was certain Sanji found it amusing, given the other Mer's apparent dislike for him.

"Shishishi, come on Torao! We're almost there!" Luffy called, waving back at him. The raven-haired prince swam _incredibly_ fast, leaving even Sanji in the dust.

Law huffed, pumping his tail in an attempt to speed himself up. He was tempted to utilize his arms but thought that might look silly. Glancing around, it became painfully clear just how deep they were. Though it wasn't particularly far for Mer who lived much lower, for Law (a human), it was unnerving.

'…and the only thing keeping me from getting crushed by the pressure is a damn necklace.'

When he finally caught up to the other two, he righted himself and took in the view. They were on top of a rocky formation of some kind, looking out over the vast depths of the sea. It was, in a word, humbling. The human world was so…small, in comparison.

"Are we going deeper?" Law asked, unsure how the Mer knew where to go without the sky. Maybe they used undersea landmarks or something?

"What, getting nervous?" Sanji teased, his blonde hair floating around his face. Law scoffed, sending a stream of bubbles out his mouth.

"Hardly, but unlike you two, I'm not _from_ the ocean."

"Just a little farther, Torao." Luffy responded, eyes bright and full of longing, "Then we'll be able to see Raftel."

They continued to swim, the water getting colder and colder. Yet, surprisingly, Law found it didn't bother him much. Was it because he was a Mer? Eventually, a glowing… _line_ of some kind started to become visible. It almost looked like a green snake crawling through the water.

"The Riptide Current." Sanji whispered, "We're close."

Law didn't bother asking about the current, but it seemed to be some sort of marker that they were close to Luffy's home. When they rounded yet another coral formation that grew off the seemingly endless supply of rocks, the albino Mer's breathe hitched and he darted forward.

"Luffy-ya!?"

He swam after the Mer, doing his best to catch up. Law came to a stop at the ledge, eyeing Luffy with concern. The prince had settled himself on the edge, staring off into the distance. When he followed the other's gaze, his eyes widened.

It was a _city._ An underwater city.

There were houses, towers, even a castle! Law wasn't sure what he'd expected, but it blew every expectation out of his mind. It was beautiful. It was Luffy's home.

"Raftel…" The prince whispered, "It's so…dark."

"No doubt that bastard Teach's doing." Sanji put in with a snarl, "I heard he's been cutting off ties to all the other kingdoms and 'molding' it the way he wants." Luffy hummed and continued to stare, his fist clenching and unclenching in his lap.

Sensing his distress, Law settled himself next to him.

"Ace and Dad are there." He whispered, "We've gotta save them."

"We will." Law answered, reaching down to squeeze Luffy's hand. The Mer looked up at him in surprise before breaking out in a tired grin.

"Thanks, Torao."

The prince then swam up off the ledge, a determined look in his eye.

"Sanji, let's go meet up with Zoro and Usopp. Once we're all together again, we go kick Teach's ass." The blue tailed Mer flinched, making Law frown. Though he'd maintained his usual attitude, something was up with him, he just couldn't put his finger on it.

"Y-Yeah…let's do that."

"Where did you say we were supposed to meet them?"

"Akh-Shorn Reef. It's close to Scavenger territory, so we'll need to be careful." Luffy nodded and did a flip in the water, smirk growing on his face.

"All right, let's go!"

* * *

Teach sighed for what felt like the hundredth time. Despite his overwhelming victory and finally getting what he wanted (or most of it anyway), it just didn't feel complete without Ace by his side.

Currently, the fiery prince was laying at the foot of _his_ throne, a mess of blood and bruises. Restrained like he was, Ace couldn't do anything to fight back, and his resistance was starting to irk him. If the damn trident had worked the first time, they wouldn't have to resort to torture!

He chose to ignore the groaning Mer when the door opened and Doc Q entered, slithering across the palace tile.

"You…wished to…see me?"

"Yeah. As you can see…" Teach motioned to Ace, "I'm having a bit of a problem." The grotesque creature tilted his head and poked at the prince with a tentacle.

"I don't…know…what I can…do about that."

"It was _your_ magic that failed." He growled, swimming out of the large chair, "So I'm holding you responsible for coming up with something new that will actually work." At his angry words, the pitch black trident in his hand vibrated, reverberating with his anger.

"Why not…just…try again?"

Teach blinked.

"What?"

"The spell…try it again."

"If it didn't work last time, why would it work this time?"

Doc Q shrugged.

"The Silver-Scale…was affected…when he should not…have been. Why?"

Teach hummed, thinking on the statement. It was true, the second prince had innate magic that should've helped him resist the curse, and yet, he was shrunk down anyway. Was it possible…

With a snap of his fingers, two of his men hauled Ace up and held him upright. The prince coughed and glared up at him, tail hanging limp. Thoughts swirling; Teach smirked. He finally understood what occurred that day.

"Oh, Ace my boy…it seems I underestimated that idiot brother of yours."

At the mention of the second prince, Ace tensed and immediately barred his teeth. Teach swam up to him and caressed his cheek, almost losing a few fingers in the process.

"You see, it appears he protected you. Expelled some, or maybe _all,_ of his magic in that split second, shielding you from my dark magic."

Ace's eyes widened in shock. Apparently he had no idea. Granted, neither had Teach until a few seconds ago, but that was besides the point. Backing up, he leveled the trident with the prince's chest, prompting him to struggle and try to get away.

"Let's see if it's worn off, hmmm?"

* * *

"Wait." Luffy suddenly said, stopping them with an outstretched hand. The prince sniffed the water, and his eyes widened. "Quick, this way!"

Law wasn't sure what spooked the Mer, but he certainly wasn't sticking around to find out. He swam after the other two, joining them in hiding among a mass of seaweed. Luffy's pupils were dilated and his tail twitched every few seconds.

"What is it?" He whispered, earning a jab from Sanji.

"Shut up! Do you want to alert it to our presence!?"

The blonde Mer motioned back out to sea where there was…nothing. At least, nothing that Law could see. But, if his two companions were nervous, then he sure as hell was nervous too. He wasn't familiar with the ocean and its dangers like they were.

Suddenly, a large shadow appeared above them, gliding lazily through the chilly water. Law's stomach dropped at the sight of a large great white shark. Not a Mer, an _actual_ shark. It swam in circles above them for a while before moving to patrol the area just outside of their hiding place.

The shark appeared to be about ten feet in length and looked like it wouldn't be leaving any time soon.

"Luffy, what should we do?" Sanji whispered, barely making any noise at all. In any other situation, Law would've thrown in some sarcastic comment about him not being allowed to talk, but now wasn't the time. "Normally, I'd say we kill it, but we don't have any weapons and Mr. Human here is a liability."

Law glared at Sanji, resenting that comment.

The prince bit his lip, apparently thinking through their options. However, before he could decide, the shark turned around abruptly, facing away from them and out to sea. Had something caught his attention? All too quickly it darted through the water, leaving a trail of bubbles behind.

"What the hell?" Sanji questioned quietly, peeking out to try and see what had spooked the shark. For Law's part, he was immensely concerned at what could have possibly frightened off a great white. Something much more dangerous, most likely.

Great, just what they needed.

Luffy shrugged and swam out of the forest a little bit, only to be pushed back in when _something_ slammed into the prince at high speeds. Sanji immediately growled and Law moved to pry the thing off Luffy, only to find the other wasn't a wild animal at all.

It was another Mer.

"M-Marco?"

"Your Majesty, yoi." The new Mer whispered, flashing a fond smile, "Sorry for the scare, but I had to be quick before you revealed yourself."

The newcomer was blonde like Sanji, but older and his aquamarine tail shimmered with gold accents. He frowned when he locked eyes with Law.

"Who's this?"

"He's Torao, a human." Luffy put in, snaking an arm around Law's shoulders. Marco raised an eyebrow and sniffed discreetly.

"Right…I see you've imprinted on him, yoi."

"Uh huh."

"Actually, my name is Trafalgar Law." He said, prying Luffy off him, "It's nice to meet you." Marco examined him with a firm gaze before sighing and swimming forward, forcing them farther back into the seaweed.

"I'm afraid pleasantries will have to wait, yoi."

"What's out there?" Sanji hissed, not fighting the elder's attempts to hide them further. Marco looked over his shoulder.

"Scavengers…or, more specifically, their King. I caught sight of him not long ago and tried to follow. That is, until I saw you, yoi."

Law gulped, thinking he'd never actually gotten a description of the shark Lord who was after Luffy. Apparently he was big enough to scare off a fairly large great white. Glancing up, he saw that a few beams of sunlight had made their way to the depths and, at just the right angle, illuminated Luffy like a Christmas tree.

"Why are you even here?" Luffy asked, "Shouldn't you be with Ace?" Marco's eyes filled with emotion and he dipped his head.

"The first prince is still held captive by Teach. I have tried to find a way in, to no avail, yoi. Please forgive me for my failure, Your Majesty." Luffy seemed taken aback by the warrior's show of emotion and immediately grabbed him by the shoulders.

"N-No, it's not your fault…I'm sorry I made it sound like it was."

Marco looked up and smiled softly.

"Thank you, but I feel like I should be asking the same question, yoi. What are you doing traveling so close to Scavenger territory?"

"We're meeting up with Zoro and Usopp at Akh-Shorn Reef." Luffy informed him, making Marco frown, "Once we're all back together again, we can try to rescue Ace and my Dad."

Law watched the exchange with interest, but also apprehension. Should they really be talking so much if the King of the sharks was so close?

"Why Akh-Shorn? There are plenty of other reefs that are much safer, yoi."

"We chose it specifically because it was close to the Scavengers. Less likely to be discovered by Teach." Sanji put in, looking somewhat distressed, "Look, I'm glad you're here, Marco, but we really need to get going."

"…all right, yoi. If you're determined to go, I'll help escort the prince."

At his words, Luffy smiled, but Sanji shuddered, a look of panic crossing his face briefly. Law observed him, unsure what to make of it. Had something happened to Luffy's friends that were waiting for them at the reef?

"However, we need to leave as soon as possible." Marco added, glancing out to the open area beyond the seaweed, "None of us are a match for the King should he catch us, yoi. Swim quickly, and silently."

Law nodded, hoping could do that.

* * *

When they finally reached the reef in question, Law thought his heart would explode from sheer stress. It took nearly all of his concentration to swim straight, let alone 'silently'. Luffy hung back, giving him a look of concern, which he quickly brushed off.

He was fine, just exhausted.

"We're here." Sanji said, swimming forward to an open clearing among the coral. Law hung back with Luffy while Marco, who the prince had quickly informed him was his brother's guard, dove forward and yanked him back.

"What are you doing, yoi!? We need to find cover before-"

_"I'm afraid it's too late for that."_

Law started when a deep voice reverberated through the water and shadows seemed to descend on them from everywhere. He instinctively pulled Luffy forward so the four of them were in a clump together, away from the encroaching figures. In seconds, Mer unlike any he'd seen had them surrounded, teeth curling up into smirks as they examined them.

"Katakuri." Marco growled, facing towards where the voice came from. When the speaker emerged from behind the coral, Law's jaw dropped. It was the largest, most terrifying Mer he'd ever laid eyes. Easily larger than the great white, the King (because this was no doubt him) descended and settled himself in front of them.

"Marco, it's been a long time…and _Sanji,_ good work. I'm impressed."

They all whirled around to face the blonde Mer, who looked miserable.

"S-Sanji?" Luffy asked quietly, floating forward carefully, "What is this?"

"Please…forgive me." Sanji replied, backing away from them, "I had no choice."

At his pitiful words, The Scavenger King motioned with his head and two smaller Mer were dragged forward, chains around their torsos. Luffy's eyes widened.

"Zoro! Usopp!"

The prisoners made to speak but went quiet when spears were placed under their chins. Law swallowed hard, unable to think of a way out of this situation.

'I should've brought up my concerns with Luffy.' He mused, staying close to Marco and the prince. But…would he have believed him? Luffy wasn't the type to suspect betrayal.

"Your Majesty…it's been a while." Katakuri continued, eyeing Luffy with interest, "I see you've found a way to reverse the curse. Good for you." The shark's gaze shifted to Law, and he immediately raised an eyebrow.

"Thanks." Luffy answered, swimming so he obscured Law from the other's view, "Now, release my friends!"

"I'm afraid that's not how this works." The shark said, flicking his tail slightly to keep himself upright, "This is a trade, little prince: you for your friends. Feel free to ask Sanji for the details." Luffy turned to the blonde with big eyes, motioning for him to come closer. When he did, Marco was on him, hand around his throat.

"What have you done, yoi!?"

"Marco, stop!" Luffy exclaimed, tearing the larger Mer off Sanji. The blue-tailed Mer looked anywhere but at his prince until the albino drew him forward and lightly tapped his chin to lift his eyes. "Sanji…is it true? You led me here on purpose?"

"Y-Yeah…I-I-"

"For Zoro and Usopp, right?" Luffy interrupted, an understanding smile on his face, "Shishishi, I get it." Sanji spluttered, tears forming.

"B-But I've betrayed you, I-"

"You had no choice." The raven-haired boy insisted, smile dimming, "Don't worry, everything will be fine." Luffy then pulled his friend in for a hug and whispered something in his ear that made the other sob, throwing his arms around the younger. When they finally separated, Luffy swam forward, leaving the protective circle of the group.

"Release my friends, and I will go with you."

"You first, little one." The King insisted, eyes flicking back to Law for a split second. When Luffy made to swim forward, Law grabbed his arm and pulled him back, earning him a wide-eyed look.

"Torao, what-"

"I can't let you do this, Luffy-ya!" He hissed, "We just got you out of a cage and now you're going to willingly swim into another one!?" The albino tried to gently dislodge his grip, but Law wouldn't let go.

"Please, I know what I'm doing." Luffy soothed, placing his hand on Law's, "I'll be fine." In front of them, deep laughter drew their attention away from each other.

"I must admit, this is unexpected. A Silver-Scale…and a _human."_ Katakuri inhaled sharply and gazed down at Law with knowing eyes, "One who's earned the prince's imprint, no less." He snarled, pushing himself past Luffy in a burst of confidence.

"Yeah, I'm human, and there's no way in hell I'm letting Luffy-ya go with you!" He took a deep breathe to calm himself before continuing, "Not without me, at least."

"Torao, no!" Luffy hissed, swimming in front of him, grabbing his hands, and lowering his voice, "We don't know what his plans are…he could _kill_ you."

"I won't be separated from you again." Law stated firmly, taking Luffy aback. He reached up and brushed a strand of hair from his face. "We're in this together, or not at all." A mixture of emotions appeared on the prince's face, prompting him to grab the other's hand tightly. When he turned back to Katakuri, the shark appeared to be considering his words.

"You are brave, for a human. Very well, if that is your wish, then come forward with the prince."

Holding hands tightly with Luffy, he swam parallel to him, heart pounding out of his chest. Glancing behind them, he could see that Marco and Sanji were nervous as well. When they were directly in front of the King, they were swarmed by his warriors, arms yanked behind their backs.

Law grunted when metal shackles were secured on his wrists, seeing Luffy was being treated the same, but with much more care. They held him firmly, but reverently, like they were worried about hurting him.

Once they were secure, Luffy glared up at the massive Mer.

"Now let Zoro and Usopp go!"

The shark nodded and with a wave of his tail, the other two were pushed forward, into the waiting arms of Marco and Sanji. The green-haired one seemed especially peeved at the young blonde and snapped furious words when he tried to touch him.

"We're done here." Katakuri declared, "Let us return to Totto Ravine…we have much to discuss."

While he and Luffy were taken away, Marco and the others remained, not stupid enough to try and follow (thankfully). However, Law would bet money they weren't going to leave the area any time soon. Hopefully, they could think of something to get them out of this mess.

* * *

Luffy huffed, flexing against the chains that now wrapped around his upper body. So much for their quick counterattack…who knew how long they'd be stuck here.

"Luffy-ya?"

"Hmmm?"

"Do you know how many times I have been kidnapped in my lifetime?"

"Uh…no."

"How about captured and held against my will?"

"Nope."

Torao sighed behind him, his back muscles tightening.

"This will be the _fourth_ time…and three of them happened after meeting you. In the span of a few weeks."

"Shishishi!" Luffy laughed, enjoying Law's dry sense of humor in the dark of the dungeon they were locked in. The two of them were chained together, back to back. They'd been placed on a tall rock that allowed them to have a view of the barred door.

Or at least him, all Torao could see was the back wall.

"Is this a common occurrence with you or something?" Torao continued, struggling to re-adjust his body. Luffy shrugged.

"Dunno, this is only my third time being kidnapped."

"…somehow I'm surprised."

Luffy stopped giggling when the door rusted open, revealing a familiar figure. The Scavenger King swam inside, his head nearly touching the ceiling. The cell floor had been dug out to create a gutter of sorts so he could fit inside without too much trouble.

"It's a pleasure to finally have the chance to properly meet you, Your Majesty." The King greeted, inclining his head slightly, "I do apologize for your current accommodations…after all the trouble we've gone through to get you here, it would be a shame to have to hunt you down again."

Luffy recognized the other's tone as serious and genuinely apologetic. He tried to recall his conversation with Ace and his Dad about why the Scavenger wanted him so badly.

"It's okay…thank you for keeping your word. My name is Monkey D. Luffy, second prince of Raftel." He turned his head, motioning to the human at his back, "And this is Torao, my treasure."

 _"Trafalgar Law."_ Torao immediately corrected with a sigh, "Am I going to have to do this every time you introduce me to someone?" Luffy just tilted his head.

"But…Torao is Law, so what's the problem?"

The human went silent, and Luffy could feel his bare back heating up for some reason. The King snorted, apparently amused by their exchange.

"I am Charlotte Katakuri, little one, King of the Scavengers. Many weeks ago, I requested your help in cleansing a sickness that has eaten away my people for too long. Unfortunately, events occurred that were…out of our control, and now…here we are."

Luffy frowned, thinking about all that had happened and what the shark wanted. It was important that he act wisely or risk bringing more enemies upon them when all they truly needed were _allies-_

His eyes widened. Of course…that was it! It was so simple!

'Dad and Ace would be so proud!'

"Yeah, lots of stuff has happened." Luffy started, straightening his back, "And I think we can help each other." Katakuri raised an eyebrow.

"Oh?"

"Shishishi, let's make a deal."

* * *

Teach settled down in his throne, immensely pleased. Why had he not tried this sooner?

"You seem happy, Boss."

"Damn right, I am." He replied, taking a bite out of the meal Burgess had brought him. Teach swallowed quickly when the doors opened again and a beautiful Mer entered, no shackles holding him this time. "Ace, come, join me! There's plenty of food to go around!"

The first prince swam up to him, eyes a dull obsidian instead of his normal silver. Teach grabbed Ace by the chin, pleased with the vacant but _oh so powerful_ look the Mer held. Yes, this was what he wanted all those weeks ago.

"Sit with me, Ace."

"Yes, Master." The prince drawled, obediently seating himself on his lap. Teach couldn't help but grin, the corners of his mouth curling up into a sinister smirk.

Finally, Ace was _his._


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to Chapter 16, my wonderful readers! I hope ya'll enjoy it and are staying safe :)

"What are you suggesting, little one?"

"I'm saying that we have a common enemy, so there's no need for us to fight."

Law listened intently as Luffy started up a negotiation with the Scavenger King. The prince sounded confident, but he wasn't sure it would do them much good. Law was no stranger to negotiation, and the odds weren't in their favor.

The sharks held all the cards and there wasn't much Luffy could offer to offset their large disadvantage.

"And why should I ally with you?" The King stated, voice low, "Your father treated me with immense disrespect at the summit and you are currently my prisoner. Frankly, it would be easier to force you to do what I want and then keep you until I become bored. Tell me, little prince, why should I _not_ do this?"

Law read between the lines.

The shark was challenging Luffy to _convince him._

'It's strange…' He mused, feeling the young Mer adjust his position slightly. Though the King's tone was threatening, Law didn't get the impression that his anger was directed at Luffy. If anything, he continually addressed the prince with underlying respect.

Even his subordinates had held Luffy like he was a priceless artifact.

"I know my father dishonored himself at the summit," The prince said, after taking a few moments to consider his words, "and it was wrong. I also know that there's nothing I can say that will make up for the disrespect of the court…but right now, _Monkey D. Dragon_ isn't on the throne."

Law shivered as the water around them was agitated by the King's massive tail.

"Teach is holding my father and brother captive and will run Raftel into the ground if we let him!" Luffy exclaimed while tugging at his restraints, "I bet you've already felt the effects of his rule…"

"…I have."

"Then help me take him down! I don't know what happened between you and my father, but I know he values _action_ above all else. Ally with me and I swear Raftel will honor any arrangement made between our kingdoms."

The shark hummed and went silent, appearing to consider Luffy's words. For his part, Law was immensely impressed. The Mer made a good argument (and was surprisingly eloquent). During his stay on the surface, Law often forgot the fact that Luffy was, in fact, a prince.

"How do I know for certain that Dragon will not drive us out, should I agree?" The King continued, "I'm afraid your word is not terribly reassuring, little one."

"I will make sure that whatever promises are made here today," Luffy immediately responded, "are honored in full. With Torao as our witness."

Law looked over his shoulder with a raised eyebrow.

"The court may not trust the voice of a human."

"They'd be stupid not to."

The cavern went silent once again as the two Mer stared each other down. Law was tempted to remind Luffy that a deal involved compromise. The Scavengers definitely weren't going to just let them go and swear friendship forever.

"I'm intrigued by your proposition." The King said, eyeing them, "However, you seem to forget that you are not in a position to bargain."

"I haven't forgotten…say your terms."

"For the foreseeable future, you belong to me." The shark stated, making Luffy twitch against him, "You will cleanse the pollution and heal my people under strict supervision. Any attempt to escape will void all further promises made today."

"…and my friends? They could help."

"I will allow them to assist you, but they must obey my rules, same as you."

"Agreed." Luffy replied, straightening against Law's back, "In return, I ask that you pledge your army to our cause. I promise…Raftel can _change_ …Ace and I won't let Dad insult you or your people again."

Katakuri chuckled, his deep baritone reverberating through the water.

"Very well, you have yourself a deal."

Law let out a sigh of relief. Though it wasn't particularly favorable for them at the moment, if Luffy could successfully cleanse the pollution or whatever the shark wanted, they would have a strong fighting force at their back.

The real question was…how was he going to do that?

* * *

Luffy stretched out his back the second he was released, whining as he arched it into a bow. Next to him, Torao did the same, just with fewer sound effects. Katakuri had summoned guards and ordered his men to free them so Luffy could start working on his part of the deal.

"Come with me." The Scavenger King commanded, facing the now open door of the cell, "I will take you to town."

"I want to see my friends first."

Katakuri sighed.

"We have no time to waste, little one."

"I'll be quick!" Luffy insisted, flicking his tail, "I can be at Akh-Shorn Reef and back in-"

"You aren't going anywhere, Your Majesty." Katakuri interrupted, "Do not forget our deal."

Luffy pouted and considered his options. If the King sent soldiers to get Marco and the others, they probably wouldn't trust them. There would definitely be a fight. He was brought out of his thoughts by a warm hand on his shoulder.

"I'll go." Torao said, making Luffy immediately start to protest, "They know me."

"B-But…" He stuttered, trying to come up with something to say that could convince his treasure to stay, "Y-You're a doctor! You can help me!"

"Yes, a _human_ doctor, Luffy-ya." Torao cracked a smile, "I'll be right back, don't worry. I meant what I said."

_We're in this together, or not at all._

The human's voice echoed in Luffy's head, bringing with it a warm feeling. Still, he didn't want Torao to go, even temporarily. He didn't know the way and wasn't a very good swimmer. What if a monster _ate him_ or something!?

"I will send a member of my family with you." Katakuri put in before turning his gaze to Luffy, "Hopefully that will help alleviate some of your concerns about his safety."

"Mhm." Luffy affirmed while tilting his head, "But how'd you know-"

"Your emotions are written all over your face."

The Mer prince hid his blush in Torao's chest, throwing his arms around the other's neck. His human chuckled and wrapped tattooed arms around Luffy's waist.

"Be safe."

 _"You_ be safe. These sharks are dangerous."

"I know." Luffy responded, nuzzling his nose against Torao's newly formed gills. They stayed like that until one of the guards cleared his throat, prompting the human to release him.

"Let's go."

"Yeah…" Torao replied to the purple-haired shark who was apparently assigned to go with him. The doctor swam past Luffy with a reassuring wink and was out of sight before he knew it. Almost immediately, the prince felt sad and missed his Torao.

Still, he motioned for Katakuri to lead the way and pumped his tail to keep up with the much larger Mer as they headed out of the cell and towards town.

* * *

"So…you and the prince, huh?"

"I beg your pardon?" Law replied, doing his best to not look like he was out of breath. Swimming was hard, and he'd come to terms with that, but didn't want to look pathetic in front of the sharks (if he could help it).

"You're like… _you know_ …" The shark, Cracker apparently, swam up so he was right next to him and wiggled his eyebrows. Law studied him with confusion until it clicked.

"Oh…I mean, we haven't exactly talked about it-"

"What's there to talk about?" Cracker interrupted with a teasing cackle, "He's already imprinted on you which traditionally means you're courting…which _also_ means you're practically mates already!"

Law stopped swimming. What? That didn't sound like what Shanks told him…

"Are you serious?"

Cracker swam around, grin never leaving his face.

"You didn't know?"

"I thought Luffy-ya was too young to find…a-a mate."

The shark just shrugged.

"Ah that's an old Mer law, doesn't mean the process hasn't started though!" Law watched with an open mouth as Cracker swam forward towards their destination, almost leaving him behind. It seems that Shanks left out some things with regards to Luffy's imprint.

Shaking his head, Law worked to catch up to the large shark as they approached Akh-Shorn Reef. Cracker slowed down, sniffing rather indiscreetly.

"They're around here somewhere…"

Law looked around, trying to catch a glimpse of one of the colorful tails that belonged to Luffy's friends.

"-could you do that!?"

"I-I didn't have a choice, Marimo!"

"You _always_ have a choice, idiot!"

Suddenly, muffled voices echoed around them, sounding very familiar. Law huffed and swam towards the noise, motioning for Cracker to follow at a safe distance. It was very likely they'd attack a shark on sight.

Law pushed through some kelp and breathed a sigh of relief. There, floating underneath a rocky outcrop, were Luffy's friends. Marco was reclined against the rock with his eyes closed, seemingly listening to Zoro (the green-haired one) berate Sanji. The long-nosed Mer looked like he was trying to get a word in but couldn't.

"So, what, I should've let them kill you!?" Sanji spit, "I'm sorry that I value you and Usopp's lives so much!"

"You _should've_ valued our prince's more!"

"Oi, oi…Zoro…" Usopp managed, holding up his hands placatingly, "Let's stop arguing and talk about how we can get Luffy back!"

Law swam towards them, immediately drawing their attention away from each other.

"Law, yoi." Marco called, maneuvering himself off the rock with wide eyes, "How did you escape? Where's the prince?"

"I didn't escape." He replied, motioning over his shoulder to where Cracker waiting. The Mers barred their teeth at the shark and drew Law in so he was behind them.

"There's only one, we can take him."

"Yeah, let's-"

"-not do that." Law interrupted, removing his arm from Sanji's protective grip, "Listen, they let me come get you at Luffy-ya's request. He made a deal with their King."

The four calmed down and listened as he explained their current circumstances. Sanji, Zoro, and Usopp seemed less than pleased with the whole thing, no doubt wanting to stay as far from the shark's kingdom as possible. Marco, however, hummed in thought, a small smile appearing on his face.

"It seems Luffy has found us some very powerful allies, yoi." Zoro snorted.

"Only if he agrees to be their _pet._ Do you seriously think they'll let him go after he cleanses the pollution? He's a Silver-Scale! They'll put him in irons faster than he can swim away."

"I disagree." Law put in, making the green-haired Mer scowl, "I was there for the negotiation. If anything, the King seems to… _respect_ Luffy-ya and appears honorable. I don't think he would betray us."

"'Us'?" Zoro snarled, swimming up so he was in Law's face, "Who even are you?"

"My name is Trafalgar Law." He replied, not flinching away from the sharp teeth, "I'm a close friend of Luffy-ya…we met on the surface."

Zoro didn't seem convinced but stopped growling when Marco put a hand on his shoulder.

"That's enough, yoi. If the sharks are inviting us back in, I say we do it…if only to be at the prince's side." The older Mer's brow furrowed as he spoke, "He's currently the only member of the Royal family that escaped Teach, we have to protect him at all costs."

That statement sobered everyone, and they nodded in agreement.

'At least they can agree on something.' Law mused, turning to swim back towards Cracker, who was waiting for them, 'Luffy-ya needs all the support he can get.'

* * *

Luffy's first impression of the Scavenger's kingdom, Totto Ravine, was that it was very spread out. Unlike Raftel, homes were either built into the rocks or cobbled together with scrap and there was a lot of space in between them. He could only assume that was due to the immense size of the Shark Mer.

As they swam by, citizens peeked out, eyes widening when they landed on him.

He slowed down a little when they passed an area that looked to have been destroyed recently but was quickly urged to speed back up by the two guards flanking him.

"These dwellings were crushed in a rock slide a few weeks ago." Katakuri informed him after noticing his interest, "Thankfully, their inhabitants weren't home."

"Does that happen a lot?"

"It didn't used to happen at all," The King continued, "but once the pollution seeped in, we've suffered all manner of _plague_ …sickness, food shortages, natural disasters…it's part of the reason I believe dark magic is involved."

Luffy bit the inside of his cheek, unsure of what to say. He had no idea their situation was so bad.

Katakuri led them into a large cave where many sharks, young and old, were laid out on pads made of sponge. Luffy immediately wrinkled his nose at the stench but recovered quickly when he got a better look at the Mers before him.

They were pale, coughing, and covered in horrendous rashes.

"This is where we take our sick." The King explained, expression morphing to one of sadness, "Aside from your scales, we have found no way to cure them."

"The pollution…causes _this_?" Luffy whispered, slowly floating forward as he tried to take it all in. Not far from his tail fin, a little pup whimpered and attempted to scratch at the rash only to be restrained by a female, who was no doubt her mother. Both were terribly ill.

"Yes…we've tried everything, but you are, quite literally, their only hope." The King turned to him, "What will you do?"

Luffy frowned in determination, straightening up.

"Whatever I can."

* * *

When Law and the others returned to the shark's kingdom, they were immediately escorted to where Luffy was 'working'. Zoro, Sanji, and Usopp were particularly wary of their escorts while Marco managed to keep his cool.

Arriving at the cavern was a shock to everyone, but especially Law. As a doctor, he immediately recognized the signs of a horrendous outbreak. Locating Luffy wasn't terribly difficult (he kind of stood out), and their group quickly swam to join him.

The prince had his hands on a young shark and pale light emanated from his webbed fingers. He looked to be concentrating hard.

"Luffy-ya." Law whispered, softly drawing the Mer out from his almost trance-like state.

"Oh…Torao, guys…you're here." Luffy was out of breathe but smiled in greeting nonetheless, "I'm glad you're okay!"

"How can we help?" Usopp asked, looking over the suffering sharks with surprising sympathy. Luffy hummed.

"Hmmm…maybe you and Sanji could make some food? Zoro…erm…I'm sure there's some heavy lifting that needs to be done…"

The three nodded and swam off with Cracker, who looked to have an idea of how to put them to work. Law was just glad they didn't argue. It was important to keep negative opinions away from such ill beings.

"Marco, Torao…could you guys help Branch with my scales? She says she can turn them into medicine."

At that, a large female shark objected, saying her name was 'Brulee', but motioned them forward regardless. Luffy turned back to the young shark he was working on, placing his hands on their tail and torso.

The next few hours were exhausting. Luffy worked tirelessly to heal as many sharks as he could, channeling magic into his hands (which was difficult considering he still didn't have much control over his abilities). Marco and Law followed the prince around, using sharp tools to remove scales one by one and pass them off to Brulee so they could be ground down into a powder.

During the process, Law learned that Marco was also a doctor and made sure to learn as much as he could. It turned out humans and Merfolk weren't all that dissimilar.

Sanji and Usopp somehow managed to feed almost the entire kingdom while Zoro performed odd jobs for the King and his siblings.

By the time everyone in the cavern had been treated, Luffy was barely able to stay awake. His tail was a mess (again), with multiple bald spots where the scales no longer covered the tender tissue underneath. Law hated the fact that this time, _he'd_ been the one to remove them.

But despite his clear exhaustion, Luffy smiled brightly at the sharks he'd healed, encouraging them as he swam by.

"Good job." The King said, casting a shadow over Luffy's much smaller body, "Now all that's left is to cleanse the pollution at its source."

"Don't you think Luffy-ya should rest first?" Law found himself saying, earning the eyes of everyone around them, "I don't think he's up for-"

"Shishishi…I'll be fine." Luffy interrupted, swimming up to lean on Law's shoulder. He didn't think the prince would 'be fine' based on the way his body trembled, but the teen was stubborn. Law wasn't sure he'd be able to convince him to wait. "Let's go."

"Where exactly is the pollution coming from, yoi?" Marco questioned while flashing a concerned glance to Luffy.

"There's a section of our ravine that deepens into a trench." Katakuri explained, turning to face out to sea, "At the bottom, we've discovered a series of tunnels where the pollution is seeping from. I've sent scouts inside, but it's impossible to know which way to go…and going in means breathing the pollution directly."

'So, until now, it was a death sentence.' Law mused, gently supporting Luffy with an arm around his waist.

"Wait, wait…it's at the bottom of a _trench!?"_ Sanji exclaimed, "Will we even be able to see down there?"

"No, not at all." The King stated firmly, prompting some whispers between the smaller Mer, "Whoever decides to come will have to rely completely on myself and my men for guidance."

Law swallowed hard, not liking the sound of that. Still, his nerdy brain immediately recalled information he'd learned in school about sharks and their ability to see in murky, deep waters. Something about mirrored crystals behind their retina…fascinating stuff.

Ultimately, it was decided they would take a smaller group (less possibility of serious casualties should things go wrong, but still enough warriors to protect Luffy). Zoro and Sanji wouldn't take no for an answer while Marco decided to stay behind to continue caring for the ailing sharks.

Usopp apparently contracted 'if-I-go-in-a-trench-I'll-die-disease' so he wouldn't be coming either.

On the shark side, there was (of course) the King, Cracker, and four additional warriors. Law, despite his fears, made sure he was included in the count. No way was he going to let Luffy swim into a dangerous, polluted trench without him.

As they left the city and began to swim towards the massive crack in the ocean floor, Law immediately noticed that Luffy was struggling to keep up. Unlike before, the albino huffed as he pumped his tail, squeezing an eye shut in pain.

"Luffy-ya, you don't have to push yourself so much." He whispered, slowing down so he was next to the Mer, "At this rate, you won't have enough energy to cleanse whatever's down there."

"I need…to do this." Luffy replied between breathes, "The sharks need me…and my family…we can't waste any more time."

Law sighed and slipped in under the younger's arm, supporting him as they swam. He was so _stubborn_. Normally the quality was endearing but not when his health was at risk.

It didn't take long to reach the edge of the trench, and Law's stomach instantly dropped. Though they'd said it would be dark, it was like floating on the edge of nothing. Once they descended, there would be no light at all, and the mere thought was unnerving.

"Each of you take one small-Mer." The King ordered, addressing his men before turning to Law and Luffy, "I will hold on to His Majesty."

He was reluctant to release Luffy, but knew that, in this situation, there was nowhere safer than with the Scavenger King. The massive shark cupped his clawed hands underneath the teen and lifted him up, allowing the albino to rest in the safety of his grip. Law gasped in surprise when Cracker swam up behind him and circled an arm around his torso.

"Hehe, relax." The shark teased, "I won't drop ya."

"Stay close," Katakuri stated, prompting Luffy to wrap his arms around a large finger to stabilize himself, "and be as quiet as possible. There are some dangerous creatures living down there."

Law gulped, mentally preparing himself for what would likely be a very alarming experience.

* * *

Luffy made sure to track where Torao was as they descended into darkness. He wanted to have at least a general idea where to find him even if they couldn't see each other. All too quickly, the water grew colder and the light was swallowed. Luffy instinctively flattened himself to Katakuri's palm, the warmth and contact soon to be the only thing grounding him in the cold abyss.

A minute later, he could see nothing. It was like his eyes were closed and the darkness had _weight._ The silence was just as bad, the only sound reaching his ears the slow flicking of the sharks' tails.

They continued to descend for what felt like hours, no one speaking a word. At one time, Luffy thought he felt a foreign water current, like something had disturbed the water nearby, but Katakuri had made no indication there was danger, so he'd laid back down.

Never once letting go of the massive shark's finger.

Eventually, Katakuri straightened out, finally halting their descent. Luffy stifled a cough at the horrendous stench that now permeated the water around them. Was it the pollution?

"We're here." The King whispered, barely making a sound, "The tunnel is directly in front of us…little one, once we enter, I will be relying on you to tell me which way to go. We must follow the darkness to where its densest."

Luffy made a quiet sound of affirmation, prompting the shark to swim forward.

Though he couldn't see, he felt the dark magic swirl around him. It became thicker with every breath. Luffy could hear his friends struggling to breath the further they went, making him all the more desperate to find the source.

Whatever was causing this, he'd find it and cleanse it.

"Left." He whispered, feeling a pulse of energy from that direction. As they continued, Luffy quietly directed the King, inwardly urging him to swim faster. He wasn't sure they could take much more of the oppressive atmosphere.

"Right."

"Down…" He tilted his head, "I…I think it's just ahead of us."

With a powerful flip of his tail, Katakuri shot forward, bringing them out into what felt like a larger area. What was strange was that _something_ was giving off a pulsing purple light, and it was coming from a blob thing in the center of the cavern.

While everyone else caught up, Luffy blinked, wheezing and barely conscious. The water in here was so thick, it was practically not even water anymore.

"I-Is that-"

"No…that's impossible." Katakuri murmured, staring at the blob that seemed to be the center of the pollution and darkness. Luffy tried to focus on the thing, pushing through his blurry vision. Upon further inspection, the mass wasn't a rock or a deep sea creature.

No, it was a body. The body of a massive Shark-Mer.

The creature was easily larger than Katakuri but also very _dead_ , if the decaying flesh and rotten scales were any indication. Scanning the body, Luffy located the source of the pulsing light. A sword stuck into the Mer's chest.

Luffy immediately knew that the sword was the problem. The darkness radiated off it in waves and bright red runes pulsed all along the blade.

"Oi…" Sanji put in before coughing, "Y-You knew them or something?"

 _"Yes."_ Katakuri replied, lip curling into a snarl, "This is the body of my mother, the feared Big Mom. We buried her years ago in a crypt far from here."

"Who the hell brought her here!?" Cracker snapped, fury clear on his face, "I'll kill them!"

Luffy could tell that the sharks were upset, understandably so. The grave of their mother had apparently been robbed and defiled. However, he also picked up on subtle looks of fear, like they were concerned the monster would return. His father had told him about 'Big Mom', the terror of the seas.

It seemed like even her own children preferred her dead.

* * *

Law coughed wetly, still held tightly by Cracker. The body was certainly concerning (especially since it apparently belonged to the King's mother!?) but the sword…it drew his attention.

When he was younger, he'd gone through a phase of fascination with swords and his forgotten knowledge quickly returned. This was a nodachi of beautiful make. It was long, slender, and had an oblong-shaped hilt covered in some sort of…fur? It was difficult to tell in the waning light.

'But those runes…' He mused with a frown, 'they don't look like they belong.'

"It's cursed." Luffy said in a scratchy voice, "The darkness…it's coming from the sword. I-I have to get close and-"

Before he could finish, the cavern shook, showering them with stones and dust. Katakuri immediately shielded Luffy with his own body, taking a few hits in the back. Cracker dragged him and the others closer to the largest shark, zig-zagging in an attempt to avoid getting hit.

In the center of the room, the sword's runes glowed brighter and the pulse increased in speed. With each pulse, the body it was stuck into shuddered. Suddenly, a deep groan emanated from the nodachi and blood red veins started to snake down into the body below it.

"Oh crap." Cracker cursed, eyes wide. Law's mouth dropped open when the supposedly dead body attempted to right itself, eyes white and tail _quite literally_ falling to pieces.

"Mama…" Katakuri muttered, eyes fierce, "Even after all these years, you still haunt us."

The reanimated body didn't answer but managed to straighten so its weight was resting on its hands. Its tail didn't look like it worked anymore.

"The sword!" Luffy exclaimed, pointing at the blade, "Take out the sword and I think she'll go back to being dead!"

"Don't have to tell me twice!" Zoro shouted, darting forward towards the body, followed swiftly by Sanji and their shark escorts. However, before they could get close, the water crackled and bolts of what looked like dark lightning shot down at them. The Mers barely avoided getting fried and were forced backwards.

"Damn it all…" Cracker muttered, releasing Law so he could join the others, "Let's try again!"

Law grit his teeth as the Mers attempted to get to the sword. When they'd get close, whatever magic enchanted the weapon would shoot down at them, forcing them to retreat. Thankfully, it looked like the body itself wasn't in good enough shape to do a lot of damage, but it did swing at them if they swam into range.

A coughing fit drew Law's attention. Luffy wasn't looking so good and he hated to see the usually bright Mer so…sickly. Granted, he wasn't doing so hot himself, but Luffy had been working for hours without any rest.

'I'm a doctor, damn it!' He thought, psyching himself up, 'I need to help him!'

Against his better judgment, Law swam up above the decaying giant and searched for an opening. He could practically feel Luffy's stare but chose to ignore it. If he could just… _get the sword,_ all of this would be over.

After a few minutes, he saw his chance. All of the lightning was focused on the other Mers, giving him a small opening to rush in and yank the cursed blade out. Pumping his tail (and trying to remember Luffy's lessons about how to swim quickly), Law shot forward, aiming for the hilt currently buried in the huge lady's torso.

Thankfully, he didn't overshoot and managed to grab the sword, which immediately shot him full of lightning. Law screamed but refused to let go. They might not get another chance! Giant hands moved down towards him but were quickly hit away by Zoro and Sanji's tails.

Law tensed his muscles and pulled as hard as he could. He could feel the sword moving, but not enough.

'Crap, I don't think I can get this out by myself-'

Seconds later, Luffy was there. His smaller hands latched onto the hilt, covering his own as he pulled. With the prince's strength added, Law could feel the sword moving until it finally was freed from the body's sternum. Almost immediately, the massive shark arched, like she'd been shocked and went limp, falling onto her back.

The veins retreated, like they were never even there.

Law and Luffy held onto the sword, wincing in pain as it continued to fight them. The doctor watched as the prince's hands began to glow, starting the cleansing process. He was forced to look away when the blade shone a bright white, Luffy's innate magic spreading over the entirety of the weapon.

The magic reduced for a split second before expanding in a pulse of brilliance, banishing the darkness of the cavern and leaving small crystals throughout, illuminating them in warmth. Almost instantly, Law could breathe again and swiftly took deep, greedy breathes.

Luffy inhaled sharply as well and let go of the sword, forcing Law to steady it with both hands. It no longer looked…evil. The runes were gone, and it was back to being just a normal nodachi.

"T-Torao…" Luffy whispered, swimming up to nuzzle his cheek tiredly, "That was awesome!"

Law was then swarmed by Mers, all slapping him on the back and congratulating him. He huffed, just glad it was over.

_Thank you._

He started, eyes moving down to the sword in his hands.

_I am grateful to be free once again. You may call me Kikoku, and I am at your command._

"E-Er…okay." Law stuttered, unsure how to respond to a sword. Zoro lifted an eyebrow.

"What's up?"

"Uh…" There's just a sword talking to me, it's all good. "This nodachi…its name is Kikoku."

"How do you know?" Cracker asked, swimming around so he was in front of him. Law sighed.

"It…er…told me?"

Everyone blinked and stared at him for a few moments. A chuckle broke the silence.

"I have heard of weapons with personalities of their own." The King swam forward, "It appears to have chosen you to be its new wielder. Use it wisely, human."

Law nodded and switched it to his left hand so he could bring Luffy close with his other. The poor thing looked like he was about to pass out.

In the light of the newly cleansed cavern, Katakuri began to give out orders. Seeing as Big Mom's crypt had been raided, it was decided this would be her new, and _permanent,_ resting place. The King and his men worked to bury her properly, leaving some of their weapons stuck in the sand out of respect for her and rolling a boulder over for a gravestone.

Hopefully, her rest would not be disturbed again.

Once they were done and satisfied, they began to make their way out of the trench. This time, Katakuri allowed Law to stay with Luffy in his grip, seeing as the young prince was so tired and might struggle holding on.

Law found that when he held Luffy's hand, the darkness didn't seem so scary anymore.

Finally, they emerged and were met with glorious light. Katakuri ordered his men to patrol the entirety of their kingdom, checking everywhere for any lingering pollution.

"You did well, Your Majesty." The King said to Luffy, earning a soft smile from the little prince, "I am impressed…and my armies are at your disposal."

"T-T-Thank you…" Luffy managed before collapsing into Law's chest. He wasn't asleep but on the verge of unconsciousness.

"I will take you to our guest quarters where you can get some rest."

Zoro swam alongside them, refusing to leave Luffy unguarded, while Sanji rushed to update Marco and Usopp on the situation. When they arrived, Law gently pulled the limp Mer into his arms, handing Kikoku to Zoro for the time being.

The King nodded to them and swam away, likely to get his kingdom back in order now that the pollution was gone.

The room was located in the rock, carved out like most of the dwellings. Inside, it was spacious and sported a round bed made out of what looked like a giant clam shell. Law gently lowered Luffy onto the soft cushion and took Kikoku back from Zoro, who was examining it with interest.

"I'll be outside if you need anything."

"Yeah, thanks."

After so long, Law finally felt like he could relax. No one was trying to kill them (at the moment) and they'd all made it back safely. When he moved to stab the nodachi into the floor, he realized something was different about it.

'Wha-' He ran his hands over the sheathe, eyes wide, 'This wasn't here before!' It was beautiful, just like the rest of the sword.

Deciding he was too tired to deal with magic, Law leaned the weapon against the wall and joined Luffy on the bed. Surprisingly, the Mer was still awake.

"That was dangerous, you know…" Luffy slurred, sluggishly bumping his nose with Law's, "rushing in like that."

"I know." He replied, enjoying the visage of the beautiful teen beside him. Even completely exhausted, Luffy looked _radiant._ "But it was worth it."

The teen huffed softly and snuggled into Law's chest, finally falling asleep. Following his instincts, he wrapped his arms around the smaller Mer and planted a chaste kiss on Luffy's forehead.

Law chuckled when the other's tail wrapped around his own in response.

It had been a _very_ long day.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good evening, wonderful readers! Riku here with Chapter 17 :) We're getting close to the end of this story and will start the final battle this chapter (to be continued next chapter). I hope ya'll enjoy!

After cleansing the pollution, Luffy slept for three days and Law never left his side. He continued to treat the prince's tail and was given 'medicine' for him (though it was different than what he was used to). Zoro, Sanji, Usopp and Marco stopped by regularly, the latter giving him tips on how Mer anatomy differed from a human's.

Their room was constantly guarded by sharks, though after many days, it was clear they were no longer enemies. Young pups (as he learned young sharks were called) visited occasionally, wanting to give Luffy gifts as thanks for saving them.

'I'm running out of room for them all…' Law thought as he placed a woven bracelet on top of the still accumulating pile of gifts. On the bed, Luffy lay still, unmoving.

He swam up to him and placed a hand on his forehead, pleased that his fever had finally dissipated. Both he and Marco believed Luffy would wake soon, which was good…there was much that needed to be done.

The Scavenger King had wasted no time gathering his forces for an invasion of Raftel and according to Zoro, his army was very impressive. Whenever Luffy was ready and healthy, they could depart. Law would be lying if he said he wasn't nervous. Though he'd seen his fair share of violence, participating in a large scale battle wasn't something he had ever done before.

He glanced to the wall, where Kikoku rested.

Even with his new 'magic sword', Law couldn't help but worry about slowing the others down. He still wasn't a particularly good swimmer…

Law was drawn out of his thoughts when Luffy groaned, bringing a tired smile to his face. The young prince blinked and yawned before settling his gaze on him.

"Torao…good morning."

"It's afternoon, actually, but considering how long you've been asleep…I suppose 'good morning' is in order."

Luffy giggled and stretched, wincing when he pulled his still tight muscles a little too far. Law gently settled him back down and moved him onto his stomach so he could massage his shoulders. The prince sighed into his ministrations, relaxing almost immediately.

"That feels nice, Torao…" Luffy drawled, nuzzling his face down into the mattress, "…don't stop." Law chuckled and pushed a little harder, wanting to work out all the tension he'd accumulated over the past few days.

"What's with the stuff in the corner?"

"Gifts, from your new admirers." Law explained as he moved his hands down to Luffy's lower back, "The young sharks in particular wanted to express their appreciation. Some have come multiple times."

"Eh…." Luffy managed, eye lids flittering shut, "that's nice of 'em…what about Zoro and the others?"

Law explained the current situation as best he could while trying to slowly wake the drowsy Mer up. Luffy came to his senses after a few minutes, sitting up when he got to the part about the King's army.

"So…they're just waiting for me?"

"Yeah." Law answered, "As soon as you feel up to it, we can leave for Raftel."

"Then let's go!" Luffy exclaimed, attempting to swam towards the door, only to collapse into Law's lap with a moan, "Ow…that hurt…"

"Don't be so hasty, Luffy-ya." He chided, gently moving him back to the bed where he clutched at his head, "You expended almost all of your magic cleansing the pollution. Give your body some time to recover."

"B-But Ace and Dad and-"

 _"Luffy-ya."_ Law interrupted in a stern tone, "Lay back down or I will make you."

The prince pouted but did as he was told, motioning for Law to join him. A few seconds later, Luffy made himself comfortable on Law's chest, exhaling a content sigh as he flicked his tail lazily.

For his part, Law hoped Luffy didn't notice his pounding heart.

"Thanks for staying with me, Torao." The Mer whispered, nosing up his neck, around the necklace, and over his gills, making Law shudder slightly, "It means a lot. Was everyone nice to you while I was sleeping?"

"Y-Yes…very…" He replied, readjusting himself in an attempt to hide his nervousness. He'd gotten used to Luffy's need for physical touch, but now…after realizing he was being _courted._ It was different somehow. "Anything for you, Luffy-ya."

Luffy grinned against his neck and eased back down to Law's shoulder, helping him relax a bit. They laid together for a while, simply enjoying each other's company, until the prince suddenly rolled so he was _completely on top of Law_ , face inches from his own.

"My treasure…" Luffy murmured, delicately rubbing noses with him.

Law swallowed hard as he looked up at the Mer who he'd become so attached to, instinctively looping his hands around Luffy's slim waist. He moved his nose against Luffy's, thinking that this action simply didn't seem enough to convey the emotion he felt.

"Er…Luffy-ya?" He questioned, causing the Mer to pull back with a tilt of his head, "This 'thing' we're doing…what does it mean exactly?"

"It's what we do with our family, to show we love them." Luffy explained with bright eyes, "I do it with Shanks, Ace, Dad-"

"Right, I see." Law continued, gaze moving down to the Mer's lips (behind which waited _incredibly_ sharp teeth), "Would you be willing to try a h-human 'thing'?"

"Sure!" Luffy chirped, beaming down at him, "How do we do it?"

Law gulped, suddenly exceptionally nervous.

"Well…why don't I just show you…okay?" Luffy nodded and watched him expectantly. With a shaky huff, Law gently maneuvered them so the Mer was on his back (it felt _better_ with him on top) and stared down into Luffy's eyes. The prince just blinked, smile never dimming, as he waited for him to show him what to do.

With a deep, steadying breath, Law lowered his lips to Luffy's, causing the Mer to inhale sharply in surprise. He stayed there for a few seconds before moving back, face beat red. He didn't want to go too far.

 _"That_ , Luffy-ya, is called a kiss."

"Oh…a kiss." Luffy echoed, reaching up to touch his lips, "That was nice, we should do it more!" Law then had the breath knocked out of him when Luffy slammed their lips back together, arms wrapped around his neck.

He had to stop them when Luffy's teeth tore lines in his lip.

"Ah, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to!"

"I-It's okay…we just need p-practice." Law managed, nursing his busted lower lip. Luffy was incredibly apologetic as he expertly staunched the bleeding, but all he could think about was how soft the other's lips were…

…and how much he wanted to kiss him again.

"Trafalgar, everything okay in there?" Someone called while knocking lightly on the stone near the entrance. Luffy's ears perked up at the familiar voice.

"Oh, is that you, Sanji!"

The blonde Mer swam inside when he heard Luffy's voice, eyes bright with relief.

"Thank goodness, you're finally awake…" Sanji trailed off and raised an eyebrow at their rather compromising position, "…uh, am I interrupting something?"

"Torao was showing me how to do human stuff." The Mer explained happily before grinning sheepishly at Law, "…but I accidentally bit him."

"I can see that."

Law quickly swam off Luffy so the other could sit up, face flushed in embarrassment. He hadn't intended to have an audience for… _this kind of stuff_. The prince, on the other hand, didn't seem bothered at all and wasted no time rushing Sanji for a clumsy hug.

"How's everything going?" He asked, expression suddenly becoming serious, "Torao told me the Scavengers are fully prepared." While the two Mer talked about the upcoming battle, Law busied himself with his lip, wanting it to stop bleeding before he left the cave.

Though he'd weighed the risks of kissing Luffy and was now paying the price, he didn't regret it.

'I'll weather the embarrassment.' Law mused, eyeing the prince with fondness. He was just glad the teen was finally up and about.

"Come on, Torao, let's go!" Luffy called, suddenly swimming up to him and grabbing his arm, "I need to go talk to Katakuri."

Law allowed himself to be pulled along and out of the cave where the posted guards were waiting. When they saw Luffy, they immediately straightened and offered to escort him to their King. Just before they could swim off, something hit Law in the back of the head, almost knocking him completely upside down.

"Wha-"

_You will NOT be leaving me behind._

"Eh?" Luffy questioned, spinning around at his exclamation. Law growled and looked up at the sheathed sword, Kikoku, that had apparently flung itself at his head.

"What the hell was that for!?"

_If you wish to protect your new-found love interest, you will need me._

Law pinched the bridge of his nose, recalling that he and Luffy hadn't been quite as alone as he'd thought. Damn sword.

"Everything all right between you two?" Sanji asked, eyes moving between him and Kikoku, "…or is it… _jealous."_

 _I am not jealous._ Kikoku argued in Law's head. _If my wielder wishes to indulge in intimate activities in my presence then I-_

"We're fine." He interrupted, snatching Kikoku by the sheath, "It's just whining that I tried to leave it behind." Luffy laughed while the shark guards simply looked on in amusement.

"Shishishi, what a funny sword!"

* * *

A few minutes later, they arrived at the large cave that had previously held many dying sharks. Now, it was full of soldiers, most sharpening their spears and drawing war-paint on themselves. Law eyed them, wondering what they used…it was definitely water-proof…and actually looked really intimidating.

When Luffy swam inside, the cavern went silent.

"Your Majesty, I'm pleased to see you're awake." The Scavenger King greeted, swimming forward till he floated in front of Luffy, "How do you feel?"

"Good." The prince answered, cracking his knuckles, "Ready to take Teach down…when do we leave?"

"We can start towards Raftel very soon." Katakuri explained, motioning with his tail for the soldiers to return to their preparations, "…are you certain you want to go right away? You expended a lot of energy and-"

"I'm fine." Luffy interrupted, a frown appearing on his face, "I know everyone's worried but something tells me we need to go _today,_ or we'll regret it." Katakuri examined the young prince with an appraising eye before nodding.

"Very well. In that case, Cracker will help get you and your friends outfitted. When you're ready, let me know."

With that, they swam after the purple-haired shark into an adjoining cave, where a plethora of weapons and other things (that Law wasn't sure what they were) were neatly organized. Marco, Zoro, and Usopp had apparently beaten them there and were already looking over the impressive collection.

"Your Majesty, yoi." Marco said, nodding to Luffy, "We're told that today is the day."

"Yeah." The prince responded, "Are you ready?" Zoro and the others bowed in answer before swiftly swimming to hold whatever weapons held their interest.

Law, unsure what to do, watched the others closely. Zoro and Sanji both grabbed swords while Usopp handled a strange contraption that looked sort of like a gun…but smaller. Would it shoot properly through water?

Another thing he noticed was that there was no armor to be seen.

"You seem confused." Cracker whispered, swimming up behind him.

"That's because I am." Law replied in a low voice, shouldering Kikoku with a huff, "It's not like I've ever participated in a battle before."

"This is all pretty standard stuff." The shark explained with a shrug before elbowing him, a mischievous grin appearing on his face, "I see you made a move…nice."

"…"

"How was it?"

"None of your business."

"Oh, come on, you gotta tell me something-"

Cracker stopped talking when a current of water swished around them, drawing their attention to the center of the room. It was Luffy, who was now holding a long, silver spear. He hefted it in his grip and swung it over his head in a graceful, but powerful, flourish.

"How's it feel?" Zoro questioned, swimming up to examine the weapon, "Looks to be about the right size…"

"It's good." Luffy answered, switching it to his left hand, "Been a while since I've fought with one…but it'll do."

"I didn't know you could handle a weapon, Luffy-ya." Law whispered when the Mer swam up to him, spear in hand. The prince cracked a smile and bumped him playfully.

"Didn't know you could, either."

By the time they returned to the main cavern, all of the Scavengers had lined up and looked positively terrifying. Their King floated in front of them, now covered in blood-red war paint, and subtly motioned for Luffy to join him in front of the crowd. Law swallowed nervously when the prince left his side, suddenly very much aware that they were about to go _into battle._

"Say, where'd you get these small weapons?" Usopp asked Cracker in a whisper. The shark smirked.

"Oh, you know…around. Usually from small-Mer who were stupid enough to wander into our territory." Law rolled his eyes when Usopp went white as a sheet and Cracker chuckled to himself, obviously amused.

Idiots.

Everyone's gaze was drawn to Katakuri when he smacked his tail on the rock below, creating a loud, echoing sound in the water.

"Today, is a special day." He began, deep voice reverberating through Law's body, "Not only have our people been saved, but we have made a new connection with the Royal house of Raftel…through the Second Prince."

Luffy, despite looking ridiculously tiny next to Katakuri, straightened up and moved his hands behind his back, causing the spear to be held diagonally. To Law, he looked positively _regal._

"Per our agreement, and as thanks for his hard work, we will back the Prince in his endeavors to save Raftel, forgetting any past issues we may have had. I expect that this will be a difficult fight, but we must prevail." The King looked down at Luffy. "For the future of this ocean…we _will_ prevail!"

When Katakuri raised his fist, the cave erupted into cheers. The sharks pounded their chests and bared their teeth savagely as they showed their determination. Luffy bowed slightly to the King before smirking and raising his spear, which caused the noise to become even louder.

"LET'S DO THIS!" Luffy yelled, twirling the spear back down to his side and displacing the water around him. Law tightened his grip on Kikoku, tail spasming in anticipation.

This was it.

* * *

Leaving Totto Ravine was an interesting experience, to say the least. All the noncombatants and children surrounded them and threw petals or blew bubbles into the water, creating quite the sendoff. Luffy, in particular, was stopped by many sharks, some giving him a shell or just wanting to hug him.

One pup placed a crowd of shells on his head, which he graciously accepted with a smile, making the sweet girl blush and swim away.

"It's tradition." Cracker explained from where he swam beside Law, "Everyone sends off the warriors and gives them gifts in hopes that they'll return triumphantly."

"…do you think we will?" He asked quietly, making the shark smirk.

"Of course we will! From what we know, Teach has some dark magic on his side, but we have a _Silver-Scale_ , not to mention Katakuri. By the time we're through, there won't be any of the bastards left."

"I hope so." Law replied, his stomach in knots. Though he was more than happy to help Luffy with anything he needed, he hadn't wanted to resort to violence…not after trying so hard to stay away from it for so many years.

"Hey, relax." Cracker said, eyeing him closely, "We'll handle pretty much everything…all you have to do is watch the prince's back."

"Yeah…I'll do that."

Following the shark's advice, Law made sure to stay glued to Luffy's side throughout the long swim. The Mer was uncharacteristically serious and quiet as they went and he wasn't sure what to say to encourage him.

'I just hope this goes smoothly and without issue.' Law mused while making sure to avoid the Riptide Current they were currently swimming next to. Apparently, if you were caught in it, the fast water would take you all the way back to the Scavenger's domain. Zoro and the others were particularly wary of the current, having ridden it when they went after Luffy the first time (at least, according to Usopp).

A few hours later, the lights of Raftel came into view and Katakuri held up a webbed hand, making them all stop immediately.

"What's our plan of attack, yoi?" Marco questioned while swimming up to them. It was obvious the Mer wanted desperately to charge in and rescue Luffy's brother (whose safety he was responsible for, as his guard).

"We will go in first, to clear a path." Katakuri explained, glancing down to Luffy, "I leave locating your brother and Dragon to you, little one. Though I don't doubt the competency of your current company, should you require assistance, my men are at your command."

"Thank you." Luffy replied before turning back towards Raftel, "Whatever happens, I won't forget your kindness."

The King nodded and flicked his tail, which must serve as a signal of some sort because all of his men shot forward with a loud battle cry, rushing the walled city with barred teeth. Katakuri removed his _ridiculously_ massive trident from his back and joined them, leaving only their small group behind.

"S-So…this is it." Usopp stuttered, bringing his weapon into his arms as well. The brown-tailed Mer was literally shaking in fear. "D-Don't you worry, Luffy, w-we've got your back!"

"Damn right." Zoro added while Sanji cracked his neck in anticipation. Marco was stoic but ready to move at any time, if his tense demeanor was any indication.

Law glided up to Luffy and placed a hand on his shoulder, which the younger immediately latched onto with a calloused hand.

"You'll be careful, right Torao?" The prince asked quietly, eyes never leaving the battle unfolding before them. Law squeezed his hand and leaned in to leave a chaste kiss on the other's cheek.

"I will, so long as you do the same."

Luffy nodded and flashed him a small smile as he gently detached them. The prince then swam forward, switching his spear from his left hand to his right and back again rhythmically before reaching up and removing the make-shift crown, allowing it to fall from his hands and float down towards the sand below.

"Come on, let's go find my family."

* * *

Luffy led his small group through the chaos of the battle, doing his best to avoid running into any of Teach's men. Thankfully, the Scavengers were doing a great job of finding and killing any enemies that tried to get in their way. He was also pleased that Katakuri made sure his men didn't hurt any of the remaining citizens of Raftel.

While they swam towards the Palace, Luffy noticed a few of his people here and there, some being escorted to safety by a shark (though from the looks of it, they were terrified out of their minds).

Oh well, they'd get over it.

"Luffy-ya, is that it?" Torao yelled over the sound of the battle, pointing at the place before them. It was just as magnificent as he remembered, and he could only hope Ace and his Dad were somewhere inside.

"Yeah, we'll go in through the front!" Luffy replied, swishing his tail harder, "It'll take us straight into the throne room!"

"Are you sure that's wise, yoi?" Marco added while slapping a dark-tailed Mer in the face with his fin, "Teach could be in there!"

"I'm counting on it." He growled, swinging his spear to catch yet another of Teach's soldiers with its shaft. That bastard had taken away everything he'd known and loved, _hurt_ his family, and cursed him. He was going to pay.

While they swam up the carved steps of the palace, Luffy kept a close eye on his treasure. The human was doing pretty well so far but in battle, unexpected things could happen. He wouldn't forgive himself if Torao got hurt _(again)_ because of him. He'd had enough of that on the surface.

Now, in _his_ domain, he would keep Torao safe.

With that thought in mind, Luffy picked up speed and rammed himself into the double doors of the palace, shattering the lock and flinging them open. They gave way surprisingly easy and he quickly looked around for enemies while Zoro and the others swam up to join him. It didn't look like much had changed…at least at first glance.

Upon closer inspection, someone was sitting on his Father's throne, and it _wasn't_ Dragon.

But…it also wasn't Teach.

Luffy's eyes widened in recognition and he lowered his spear.

"A-Ace? Is that you?"

The orange-tailed Mer didn't respond and simply stared in their general direction with a completely neutral expression. He looked okay but did have evidence of bruising and torture all over his torso, which made Luffy bristle. Marco slowly swam forward so he was next to him, a frown appearing on his face.

"Something's…not right, yoi." He whispered, but Luffy brushed him off and continued to glide forward, a bright smile appearing on his face.

"Ace! It's so good to see you again! Where's Dad? Did you guys already escape and take out-"

Suddenly, the water around him began to get warmer and Luffy yelped when it scalded his skin. He looked up at Ace in shock, knowing his brother's ability when he felt it. The first prince propelled himself off the throne and sent a stream of heated water straight at Luffy, forcing him to fall back or risk being boiled alive.

"What the hell!?" Zoro hissed before ordering the others to scatter. Luffy stayed where he was and was joined by Torao seconds later.

"Is that really your brother?" The human whispered, "Why is he attacking us!?"

"I-I don't know!" Luffy replied, watching in horror as his brother swam up off the floor and held his arms out, elbows slightly bent with his palms up towards the ceiling. The room began to shake as the water around them was warped and heated, creating a terrifying image of Ace's incredibly powerful ability.

Luffy gripped his spear in both hands and swam up to his face his brother, determined to snap him back to his senses. The Ace he knew would never hurt him, which meant Teach had done something to him.

The closer he got to the orange-tailed Mer, the hotter it became, causing blisters to form on his skin.

"Ace, stop it!" He yelled, tears forming in his eyes both from the pain and emotion building up inside him. Luffy had never expected to have to face his precious big brother. "Don't you recognize me? It's Luffy, your little brother!"

Ace met his gaze for the first time, and Luffy swallowed hard at the unnatural darkness that had taken over his normal silver irises.

"I serve only my Master," Ace drawled, red swirling marks appearing under his eyes, indicating he was tapping into the full potential of his ability (similar to how Dragon's tattoo would light up when he utilized his), "and he said to _kill_ the one with the silver tail…and his companions."

Faster than he could react, Ace sped forward and wrapped a hand around Luffy's throat, causing him to drop his spear in surprise. The sheer heat coming from his brother's hands made him want to scream but his gills weren't getting enough oxygen to produce a proper sound.

"N-No…big brother… _please."_ Luffy managed, clawing at Ace's powerful grip, "T-This…isn't you-"

Seconds later, someone smashed into Ace, causing him to release Luffy. While he coughed and tried to catch his breath, Zoro and Sanji attacked the older Mer, allowing Torao time to drag him back.

However, their successful attack didn't last long.

Once he'd recovered from their initial assault, Ace easily sent them flying into the far wall with a flick of his tail, power enhanced with his ability.

"T-This isn't good…" Luffy whispered, neck burning. His spear was just below Ace (not that he would ever use it on his brother) and Zoro and Sanji weren't looking good.

"We have to fight him, Luffy-ya!" Torao exclaimed, coaxing an angry growl from Marco who'd come up on his left.

"We can't, yoi!" Marco explained, pushing them further back when the water around Ace _literally_ started to boil.

"I know he's your brother, but right now, he's trying to kill us!" Torao continued, "If we don't do something-"

 _"No,_ you don't understand!" Marco interrupted, gritting his teeth as he looked back at Ace, "The first prince wields the most powerful ability ever seen in a Royal. It's not a matter of principle…it's the difference in strength. We're no match, yoi."

Luffy straightened out and frowned up at his brother. He knew Marco was right. Realistically, they didn't stand a chance.

'But I'm not going to back down.' Luffy thought with a determined snarl, 'I'll bring him back if it's the last thing I do!'


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a few chapters to go! Thanks for sticking with me for this somewhat chaotic story lol XD

Luffy huffed, doing his best to ignore the burning sensation around his neck where his brother had grabbed him. Currently, Ace was floating on the other side of the room, his body surrounded by a defensive barrier of boiling water. It would be difficult to approach him without getting burned.

'…what can we do?' He thought, gritting his teeth in frustration. If he could just _touch him,_ his magic would do the rest. Whatever Teach had done was definitely related to dark magic, so it probably wouldn't be too hard to cleanse…hopefully.

"Guys, I need your help." Luffy managed, drawing the attention of his guardians. All of them had evidence of injuries and burns on their bodies but their expressions were ones of determination. "I-If I can get close enough, I think I can snap Ace out of it, but-"

"Consider it done, yoi." Marco interrupted, swimming forward so he was in front of Luffy, "We won't be able to hold him for long…be quick."

"Yeah." Luffy answered, straightening up. Zoro, Sanji, and Usopp joined Marco while Torao stayed by his side, unsheathing his sword. The human appeared nervous so the Mer prince flashed him a reassuring smile. They could do this.

On Marco's count, the four Mers rushed Ace, swimming straight into the scalding water. Luffy winced at their pained expressions but focused on readying himself to rush in behind them. He wouldn't waste the precious time they bought him.

As expected, Ace fought them off with frightening ease, showing his power and experience. However, it was Usopp who finally caught him off guard. The brown-tailed Mer shot a steam of water at his face, nailing him on the cheek. Usopp shrieked in fear when Ace turned towards him, anger clear on his face. In that moment, Zoro and Sanji managed to grab his arms while Marco caught Ace in a headlock, wrapping his tail around the prince's flailing orange one.

They had him!

"Now, Luffy-ya!" Torao hissed, prompting Luffy to violently propel himself forward, into the danger zone. Within seconds, he was in front his big brother, gazing into those dark, obsidian eyes that were so unnatural.

He wasted no time placing both his hands on Ace's cheeks and focusing his magic into his hands, physically jolting at his brother's scream of pain.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry…" Luffy whispered, not letting go, "It's okay, Ace…j-just come back to us… _please."_ After a few seconds of forcing his magic into his brother's body, Ace's irises began to flicker, appearing to try to turn back to their natural silver. However, just before his brother fully stopped struggling, a chill went down his spine.

"Look out!" Torao yelled, pushing him forward into Ace's chest. The force of the impact sent them floating towards the throne in a clump and knocked the oxygen from Luffy's gills, causing him to cough violently. When he turned around, his blood went cold.

Torao had pushed him out of the way of a familiar tenacle that was now wrapped around his treasure's body, all the way to his neck, slowly choking the life out of him.

"Zehahaha…what do we have here?"

Luffy barred his teeth at the fat Mer that entered, accompanied by the very creature who'd captured him and his family all those weeks ago. The black trident in Teach's grip pulsed with an evil energy that reminded him of what he'd felt from Big Mom's corpse.

"Teach, you bastard!" He snarled, making the other smirk darkly at him.

"Ah, little prince…it's been a while." Teach sneered, "Did you like my present? I thought you'd _so appreciate_ getting to see Ace after so long apart."

"What did you do to him!?"

"Just a little dark magic to make him more…agreeable." Teach continued, eyeing the limp form of Ace still held tightly by Marco and the others, "Oh yes, that's right, you haven't heard the good news yet. Just this morning, he agreed to be mine."

Teach snapped his fingers and one of the monster's tentacles dropped a scroll in his hand, which he swiftly opened and turned so Luffy and the others could read it. Luffy's eyes widened in shock at the declaration and what was clearly Ace's royal seal.

"As you can see, it's official. The ceremony will be held this evening." Teach smirked, obviously enjoying their distress, "And then… _I_ will be King. Not even the Council of Mer will be able to dispute my claim!"

Luffy shook in fury. The bastard brainwashed Ace so he would agree to become his _mate_ and, by proxy, the new King. The document his brother signed served as both an abdication of the throne and a formal acceptance of courting.

"My father would never agree to-"

"Zehahaha, oh but I don't need his approval." Teach continued, rolling up the scroll and handing it to his minion, "You see, little prince, Ace is of marrying age and the successor to the throne. So, if Dragon is _indisposed,_ power automatically passes to the First Prince."

Luffy tensed, fear pooling in his belly. Was his Dad okay?

"Your claim is invalid, yoi!" Marco put in, still holding Ace tightly, "Ace is not in his right mind! The people will never accept you."

Teach chuckled darkly to himself.

"They can fight it all they want, the contract is official. In the eyes of the law, both Raftel and Ace, are mine!" The fat Mer's slimy gaze moved to Ace. "Besides, who said anything about allowing him outside? He will stay here so that I can always _admire_ that beautiful tail of his."

Luffy growled low in his throat. Teach intended to steal all aspects of Ace's freedom and keep him like a pet! It was despicable!

"We won't let it happen!" He yelled, tensing his fist tightly in anger, "You'll _never_ have him!"

"I would be careful how you speak to me, little prince." Teach shot back, head motioning to his right, "Don't forget, your new friend is in a bit of a bind."

Luffy's expression swiftly turned to one of fear when Torao let out a choked off cry of pain. Teach looked down at him condescendingly, no doubt enjoying the way his fists dropped to his side in surrender.

"P-Please, don't hurt him."

* * *

Law struggled to stay awake. The tentacle of whatever monster had crashed into the room was cutting off his air supply at the gills and cracking some of his ribs in the process. He forced his right eye open so he could see his companions and was frustrated to see them unable to move, Luffy's big eyes wide with fear.

'Damn it.' He thought while desperately thrashing in the beast's grip, 'If I don't do something, they'll all be captured!'

He instinctively grasped for Kikoku, only to come up empty handed, having dropped it when he'd first been caught.

"P-Please, don't hurt him." Luffy whispered, voice shaking. The newcomer, Teach, sneered down at the albino, making Law bristle. He didn't want _anyone_ looking at Luffy like that.

"See? Was that so hard? Now, if you would… **Ace**." Almost immediately, Luffy's brother straightened up and bashed Marco's face with his head, all the while twisting to free himself from Zoro and Sanji's grasp. Luffy gasped and tried to reach for his friends, only to be roughly grabbed by Ace.

The older Mer twisted Luffy's right arm behind his back and held a clawed hand at his little brother's throat. Law cursed inwardly, immediately noting the darkness in the prince's eyes. Luffy hadn't had enough time to completely cleanse the dark magic.

"L-Luffy-ya…" He barely managed, hating the look of despair on the teen's face. This wasn't looking good. If only he could-

_Do not give up so easily. We are not beaten._

Law stopped struggling when he heard Kikoku's voice in his head.

_I have power that you have not explored yet, and I believe now is the time to use it._

'I agree.' Law thought, eyes flicking to Teach who was slowly approaching the Mer princes. He wouldn't let the bastard lay a _finger_ on Luffy.

With a flick of his wrist, he summoned Kikoku, causing the sword to fly up off the floor and into his hand. Once he had a good grip on the hilt, he exhaled sharply, willing the sword to unleash its power. Honestly, he wasn't sure what was going to happen, but he had to do _something._

"Oi, what're you-" Teach started, only to stop when Kikoku began to flash purple. Seconds later, Law was surrounded by lightning. The practical part of his mind began to panic, recalling that electricity flows through water. However, upon closer inspection, it was clear that Kikoku had released a targeted attack.

The beast that held him captive screeched in pain and soon the water was filled with the scent of burning flesh. Unfortunately, Teach managed to block the attack with his trident, but it allowed Law enough time to swim towards Luffy and hit his brother over the head with his tail, hopefully knocking him unconscious.

'Sorry…I hope you'll forgive me.'

Not a good first impression on Luffy's family.

"Torao, that was amazing!" The albino exclaimed while gently maneuvering Ace's limp body back into Marco's arms (the Mer having recovered from the shock of his likely broken nose). Zoro, Sanji, and Usopp quickly joined them as well, some of their hair singed from Kikoku's attack.

"Thanks." He replied, turning to brandish his sword at Teach. The fight wasn't over yet.

"Tch, you must think you're so clever, _human_." The Mer snarled, definitely annoyed, "You all forget that I hold more power in this trident than any of you could possibly hope to match!" With that, Teach held up the pitch, black trident, causing darkness to begin to form around it.

"U-Uh…what's the plan, guys?" Usopp questioned, trembling in terror at the growing darkness in front of them. Even with all of their abilities combined, it would be difficult to combat Teach's dark magic…

A glance behind him, revealed that Luffy had gone back to work on Ace, attempting to clear his mind. If they could release him from Teach's control, he would be a great ally, but did they have enough time? Their enemy wasn't going to just sit there and let them-

"Zehahaha, this is the end!" Teach yelled before sending a stream of darkness straight towards them. Law raised his sword but knew that it wouldn't be enough. It was going to hit them. Was this it? Were they all going to die?

"Your Majesty!" A familiar voice exclaimed. Seconds later, a massive body slipped in front of them, taking the brunt of the attack. It took Law a few moments to realize who it was.

"Katakuri!" Luffy called, voice breaking in concern. When the attack ended, Law winced at the sight of the Scavenger King's injuries. It appeared he'd managed to block some of the darkness with his weapon but hadn't been able to avoid all of the damage.

"Are you all right?" The Scavenger asked, glancing down at them. Luffy nodded.

"Yeah, but what about you?"

"I'm fine." Katakuri assured him, turning to face Teach, "I will hold him off. Continue to look after your brother."

At that, the massive shark Lord initiated a brutal attack on Teach, forcing him backwards away from their group.

"We should help him!" Sanji hissed, attempting to swim towards the battle, only to be stopped by Marco's hand.

"No, we'd only get in the way, yoi. We need to stay here and support His Majesty." Nodding in agreement (albeit a bit begrudgingly), they formed a protective circle around Luffy and Ace. The young prince had gently swum down to the floor of the throne room so he could lay his brother down on his back.

He was concentrating very hard, to the point that the glowing marks were starting appear on his body, like when he'd broken out of his cage at the lab. It was difficult to tell if Luffy's efforts were doing anything, but Law decided to trust the Mer. They'd been through so much together…it would be stupid of him to doubt Luffy now.

A few minutes later, Luffy removed his hands and settled back on his tail with a huff.

"I think that should do it…"

"He's free, yoi?" Marco questioned, turning to look over the First Prince with hopeful eyes.

"Erm, yes? I-I mean, I think so." Luffy stuttered, reaching forward to hold his brother's limp hand, "I got rid of all the darkness, so now he just needs to wake up."

"Good, then let's-"

"GET OUT OF MY WAY, SHARK!" Teach screeched, giving them little warning to avoid a blast of dark magic that made it past Katakuri's body, "I'll kill you all and claim what's rightfully _mine!"_

Seeing that Ace and Luffy were fine for the moment, Zoro and the others swam forward a few feet to create a defensive line in front of the princes. Law used the opportunity to pick up Luffy's spear and pass it to him, which the albino Mer skillfully caught.

"It's over, Teach." Katakuri stated firmly, pointing at him with his ridiculously large weapon, "We have the upper hand." The fat Mer scowled at the Scavenger King and barred his teeth.

"No, no, NO! I will not be defeated!" Law moved so he was in front of Luffy, determined to protect him from the crazy Mer (who seemed to be losing his mind at the mere thought of defeat). Teach smirked yet again, this one sending shivers down Law's spine. It appeared he'd regained his composure, at least for the moment. "Struggle all you want, I have the most powerful weapon under the sea! I. WILL. Win!"

"Like hell you will." Law's eyes widened at the voice and instinctively backed up when the water around them began to heat up. There, rising from the floor, was Luffy's brother, and he looked _pissed._ Unlike before, his eyes were a bright silver, which meant…

"Ace, you're back!" Luffy said, choking up slightly. The elder turned to his brother and stopped in his tracks, taking in the teen's injuries. Immediately, Ace swam to Luffy and gently lifted his chin.

"Lu…what happened? Who did this to you?" Law's stomach dropped. Did he not remember anything from when he was brainwashed?

Luffy shook his head and touched his forehead to his brother's.

"It doesn't matter, don't worry about it. I'm just glad you're okay!"

Ace smiled fondly at Luffy and ruffled his hair.

"All right, but you'll tell me later, okay?"

"Mhm."

"Y-You…no, that's impossible." Teach whispered, drawing the elder Mer's attention. The First Prince scowled up at the fat Mer, making him retreat a few feet. Law blinked in shock. Was he… _afraid_ of Ace?

"I suggest you prepare yourself." Ace growled, causing the room to shudder and heat with his anger. Teach re-adjusted his grip on his trident and managed to keep the shaky smirk on his face (attempting to mask the fear).

"Now, now…after all I've done for you-"

"You took _everything_ from me!" Ace interrupted, swimming up so he was no longer looking up at his previous captor, "And I know you did something to me that day…something evil that caused trouble for my baby brother. I'll never forgive you for that."

Law looked over at Luffy, who had tears in his eyes. Tears of happiness, no doubt.

"Face the consequences of your actions." Ace continued, reaching out his hand towards the floor. Suddenly, the room shook and cracks appeared in the floor. Moments later, a golden trident shot up and settled into Ace's right hand, glowing with a bright light.

"Oh…." Katakuri muttered, swimming so he wouldn't be in the way of the First Prince's assault, "So he is worthy, hmm?"

"Ace." Luffy added, smiling widely, "That's Dad's…"

"Fine then, have it your way." Teach answered, holding his own trident in both hands, "Let's see which is stronger, darkness or _the sun?"_

The resulting class sent Law and the others flying into the wall. The power was so dense that it made the water feel heavy and almost caused him to pass out. However, before he could, the light receded, and he raised his head off the floor to see what happened.

Teach and Ace were inches from each other, the golden trident sticking out of their enemy's back. The fat Mer spit up blood and clutched at the wound, seemingly shocked. Ace, meanwhile, held his head high and glared at the Mer.

"Burn in hell, bastard."

With that, Ace removed the trident with a sickening squelch, causing blood to flow into the water around Teach. The Mer gasped and reached for Ace as he fell, mouthing something unintelligible. When he hit the ground, it was like a burden had been lifted and Law could finally breathe again.

It was over.

They'd won.

* * *

Luffy exhaled sharply, allowing his spear to hit the ground. Teach was gone…after so many weeks, he was finally gone. He moved his gaze to the beautiful silver weapon, somewhat relieved he hadn't had to use it much. He never enjoyed spilling blood, even when they deserved it.

The thought of blood made him remember what happened to Torao and he immediately shot back up into the water, head swiveling in an attempt to locate his treasure.

"Torao!"

"I'm okay, Luffy-ya." Torao said from where he reclined against the wall, sheathed sword leaning up against his shoulder. Luffy swiftly swam up to him and looked him over, grimacing at the already forming bruises. "It's not as bad as it looks."

"Yeah right…" Luffy whispered, gently placing his hand on the human's chest so he could begin healing him (as much as his exhausted body would allow).

"Thankfully, he didn't break the necklace." Torao continued, fiddling with the abalone shell around his neck, "That would've been bad."

"I'm just glad you're okay." Luffy finished, removing his hand from the tattooed skin. He didn't have enough energy to completely heal him, but he could at least make him feel better. When he met Torao's gaze, he saw the human was frowning and focused on something behind him. Luffy followed his gaze and his breath caught in his throat.

Ace was talking in hushed tones with Marco, looking more and more distressed by the moment. A few minutes later, his strong big brother placed a hand over his mouth, shock and horror clear on his face. Luffy furrowed his brows and flicked his tail in debate. His brother needed support right now, but he also didn't want to leave Torao…

"Go to him, Luffy-ya. I'll be fine."

"A-Are you sure?"

"Yeah, go on." Torao encouraged, motioning with his head for Luffy to get going. He nodded and rushed in for a quick hug before spinning around and swimming towards his brother. The closer he got, the more of the conversation he heard.

"Ace, you can't blame yourself, yoi. You were under Teach's control."

"I-I-I know but…Marco, I _hurt_ my baby brother! I'm scum, I can't believe I-"

Luffy didn't let him finish and slammed into him, wrapping his arms tightly around Ace's trembling torso. Based on the sniffling, his big brother was crying.

"L-Lu…I-"

"Don't." He whispered into Ace's chest, gently caressing his brother's tail with his own, "I don't blame you at all, so don't do this to yourself."

"B-But I-"

"Shishishi, I'm so glad you're okay, Ace." Luffy continued, looking up into his brother's tear filled eyes with his own, "I love you so much." Ace's bottom lip trembled at that and he wrapped himself around Luffy like a warm blanket.

"Thank you…thank you, Lu. I love you too."

Luffy giggled to himself at the contact he'd missed so much and nuzzled into Ace's neck. It'd been so long since he'd been able to hug his brother and he didn't want Teach's memory to corrupt their reunion. Someone clearing their throat caused him to break away from Ace. It was Katakuri.

"I'm glad to see you're all right, Your Highness." He stated, bowing respectfully to Ace who inclined his head in return, "With your permission, I'd like to round up the remaining enemies and… _dispose_ of this corpse." Luffy didn't miss the way he eyed Teach, both with calm indifference and a feral bloodlust.

"Do what you want with him." Ace answered, lowering his eyes to the floor, "I'm sorry for causing you and your people so much trouble. If there's anything I can do to make up for-"

"Now is not the time to speak of such things." Katakuri interrupted, glancing to Luffy, "We can speak of the future once Raftel is truly free again." The princes bowed to the Scavenger King as he left the hall, dragging Teach's corpse behind him. Luffy swallowed hard, knowing what the sharks were likely going to do with it.

Hopefully, they would take it outside the city at least.

"All right, everyone gather 'round!" Ace exclaimed, earning the attention of everyone in the room, "If you're not injured too bad, I want you all to go search the city and help any citizens you can. They've been prisoners just like me and may need medical attention. Luffy…will you come with me? We need to find Dad."

"Of course." He answered, praying the Mer was okay. While Zoro, Sanji, and Usopp swam back out the main entrance, Luffy motioned for Marco to approach. "Hey…could you look after Torao while I'm gone? He's done enough and I don't want him to be put in any more danger."

"As you wish, yoi."

"Thank you." He answered before swimming after his brother.

* * *

It didn't take them long too locate their father, Dragon. Thankfully, Teach was pretty predictable with where he stored his prisoners, and the dungeon was the first place they looked. Luffy examined the cells closely as they passed them, frowning at one in particular that looked to have lots of dried blood on its walls. Was that…where Ace had been kept?

Luffy eyed his brother, but the older Mer didn't even glance through the bars. Eventually, they arrived at the very last cell and were met with a surprising sight.

"W-What the hell…?" Ace muttered, staring down at the crystal in surprise. Luffy blinked down at his father's sleeping face and recalled what Torao said happened to him on the roof of Crocodile's building. Was this the same thing?

The brothers unlocked the cell and rushed to Dragon's side, pleased to see that he didn't appear to be hurt.

"So…how do we wake him up?"

"Uh, Torao said he just hit it 'til it opened." Luffy responded, earning a confused look from Ace. That's right, his brother didn't know he'd spent time on the surface (or that he'd been in a few life-threatening situations). "Come on, let's try this…"

Luffy took his brother's warmer hand and placed it on the crystal, resting his own on top. Torao, admittedly, hadn't given him many details on how he'd managed to break Luffy's cocoon, but he felt like he had a basic idea of what to do.

While he didn't remember much of that time, he _did_ remember feeling Torao's concern for him and his desire for him to wake up. Surely that had something to do with his treasure's success!

Luffy closed his eyes and focused all of his magic into his hand, feeling Ace do the same. Raftel needed its King to wake up!

'Please…Dad. You can't sleep forever!' He thought, sending a large pulse through the crystal. Seconds later, cracks appeared on the surface of the cocoon, prompting the brothers to swim backwards a few feet. They were forced to look away when it finally broke, filling the dark cell with a brilliant light.

When he could see again, Luffy wasted no time rushing to Dragon and curling into his chest.

"D-Dad…you're back."

"Luffy? What's going on?" Dragon asked, sitting up so he could look around (all while keeping Luffy close to his chest, accepting his physical affection with practiced ease). The King's gaze stopped on Ace and immediately went to the trident in his hand. "I see we have much to discuss. Where is Teach? Tell me everything."

Luffy gave him the abridged version of the current situation, starting with how helpful the Scavengers had been and ending with Teach's demise. Dragon hummed when he finished, a frown appearing on his face.

"Katakuri…helped us?"

"Mhm." Luffy affirmed, pulling back slightly so he could look into his father's eyes, "And we made a deal: if I cleansed the pollution, he would help us take back Raftel. We wouldn't have been able to save you and Ace without him."

Dragon sighed and righted himself so he was properly floating in the water.

"Where is he? I need to speak to him."

* * *

"How do you feel, yoi?" Marco asked while assisting Law in swimming off the floor.

"Could be worse I suppose." The human admitted, wincing at the pain in his chest. He felt like he'd been hit by a truck, though Luffy's magic had helped the pain a little bit. "Why didn't you go with the others?"

"His Majesty ordered me to look after you, yoi." Marco informed him, his usual neutral expression morphing into one of slight amusement, "He seemed very concerned about your well-being after that fight."

Law huffed, outwardly annoyed but inwardly enjoying the young Mer's attentiveness. It was nice to have someone worried about you. Just as he finished that thought, three Mer emerged from the innards of the castle, led by a serious (yet regal) looking Mer who was unfamiliar to Law. However, seeing he was flanked by Ace and Luffy…he deduced that he must be the King.

"Your Majesty!" Marco exclaimed, bowing at the waist in respect, "I'm glad to see you're safe, yoi."

"Yeah, thank you for your concern." The King responded before sending Law a questioning glance, "It seems many things have changed in my absence."

"Indeed, yoi. I for one am glad it's over."

Law squirmed nervously under the King's stare and physically tensed when Ace swam towards him, sniffing the water like a bloodhound.

"You're…" The First Prince started, only to stop when Luffy glomped him, wrapping his tail around Law's in a firm hug. He blushed when the albino nuzzled his gills, completely unashamed of the audience they currently had.

"Oh yeah, you guys haven't officially met him yet! This is Torao, my treasure."

"It's Law." He automatically corrected, gently prying the affectionate teen off him so he could bow to the royals before him, "Trafalgar Law…it's a pleasure to meet Luffy-ya's family."

"I see you are a human." The King continued, casually swimming up to him with Ace by his side. Law tensed when Luffy was brushed aside and the two (very intimidating) Mer began to circle him like sharks closing in on their prey. "What are your intentions towards my son?"

"I-I…uh-"

"How old are you, anyway?" Ace interrupted, holding the golden trident he hadn't bothered to drop up to Law's throat, "And what's with the tattoos? You some kind of criminal?"

"Dad, Ace, stop it!" Luffy shouted, rushing into their 'kill circle' so he was flush to Law's side, "Torao is the best and I love him, so leave him alone!"

Law's heart stopped at that.

Did he just say… _love!?_

"Luffy, you know our customs. You are not old enough to take a mate…and to imprint on a human of all beings…"

"I'm old enough to make my own choices!"

"You're seventeen, Lu!" Ace shot back, flinging the trident around with his wild hand gestures, "You don't know what kind of feelings you have! I don't approve of this, not at all."

"Y-Yeah, well I don't care what you think!" Luffy stuttered, pout forming on his lips at his family's disapproval, "I'll do what I want!"

Law's brow furrowed when he felt Luffy trembling slightly against him. It was clear he was disappointed at the response, but what had he expected? Mer or not, Luffy was very young (even by human standards). It made Law feel guilty about making such a forward move on the still innocent teen who had little to no understanding of romance.

Honestly, after all the magic and ridiculousness, he'd forgotten about their age difference.

"Please, forgive him, it wasn't his fault." Law put in, drawing the group's attention, "With everything that happened, things got a little…out of control." Luffy peered up at him with big eyes while Ace growled at him.

"So, you admit to seducing my angelic baby brother!"

"Uh…no, that's not what I meant." Law corrected with a huff. Okay, Luffy's family was _definitely_ overprotective. "I didn't even know Luffy had imprinted on me until-"

"That's right! Don't blame Torao…" Luffy exclaimed, still hugging Law's arm like it was his lifeline, "I-I imprinted on him without realizing it and then…I don't know, we just got really close." The King hummed at the explanation, crossing his arms.

"I see. However, you must understand why I cannot approve of this, Luffy." The prince deflated and Law's heart broke at the start of tears in his eyes. "That being said…your birthday is right around the corner. I suppose there's no harm in allowing this human to officially court you, but not until you are of age, understand?"

Luffy's head shot up and the corners of his mouth began to swivel upward into a grin.

"Y-You mean it?"

"Wait WHAT!? You can't be serious!" Ace objected, swimming so he was right in his father's face, "Forget the fact that Luffy's seventeen, he's a _royal!_ You would let a human court him!?" The King sighed and placed a hand on Ace's shoulder.

"Perhaps it's time for some change around here. That being said…" Law gulped at the look both Mer gave him, "…should you do anything to hurt Luffy or violate our agreement…well, you understand…right, _Law?"_

"Y-Yes, Sir."

'Damn, Luffy's family is scary.' He mused, grateful for Luffy's steadying presence. Law was certain that if he stepped out of line even a little bit, they'd probably tear his face off without hesitation.

_Good for you. Kind of sucky first impression though._

Law's eye twitched at his sword's unwanted commentary.

_You gonna tell his brother that you're the one who bruised his face? That'd be hilarious to watch._

"Shut up." He hissed, glaring at the obviously amused sword. Law didn't need anything else to worry about at the moment.

"I see you've come to terms." A deep voice stated, prompting the King to turn away from Law. It was Katakuri and a few of his men, having returned from their work cleaning up the city. The second he entered the throne room, the tension grew exponentially. "It's been a while since we last spoke, Dragon."

"Yes…it has."


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Well, here it is, the official last chapter of this story, except for the epilogue of course, which will be posted shortly ;) Thanks to everyone who's supported me throughout this chaotic work of mine, I know the plot was kind of all over the place, but I hope ya'll enjoyed it anyway XD I will say that this story was definitely not one of my best works (so don't be surprised if it vanishes into the void lol) but it was still fun to write! Love you all and please stay safe :)

Luffy watched nervously as Katakuri spoke to his Dad in hushed tones. Though he hadn't been present for their last meeting, he vividly recalled that it hadn't gone well at all. But now that the Scavenger King had _helped_ them, maybe there could be peace?

After all, Luffy had promised that to the King as part of their deal. He would advocate on his behalf if his Father didn't agree.

"You seem nervous." Ace whispered, brushing the end of his tail with Luffy's. The albino hummed and collapsed into his brother's chest, prompting the older Mer to hold him tight in a warm hug.

"I just want everyone to get along."

"Dad can't ignore what Katakuri has done for us." His brother continued, eyeing the two Kings, "I'm sure they'll come to an agreement."

Luffy nodded and pushed away from Ace so he could see how the rest of his companions were doing. Thankfully, no one was _seriously_ injured, but Marco made sure to look over everyone anyway. His treasure was reclined on the floor of the throne room 'resting his eyes'. Luffy wasn't an idiot, he knew Torao was exhausted, injured, and needed proper rest as soon as possible.

Unsure when the two Kings' discussion would end, Luffy swam over to Torao, prompting the human to open one of his eyes.

"They aren't done yet?"

"Nope, still talking." He replied, maneuvering his treasure so his head lay on Luffy's tail (his 'lap', as humans called it). Torao didn't resist and let out a sigh of relief at the more comfortable position, his tail relaxing in the water. "Ne…thanks for, you know."

"Saving you? Or perhaps, using a magic sword to smite a giant tentacle monster?" Torao teased, smirking up at him, "No problem, Luffy-ya."

Luffy giggled and carded his webbed fingers through the human's hair. Torao was so silly. He looked up when Dragon and Katakuri began to swim back to the center of the throne room, his body tensing slightly. Had they come to a decision?

"My people…my family." His Dad began, sorrowful eyes sweeping from Ace to Luffy, "Forgive me for not being there for you. Teach made a right mess of things, and had Katakuri not intervened…needless to say, my eyes have been opened to my own prejudice, and I cannot apologize enough for that."

Katakuri inclined his head in thanks while Ace's mouth curled up into a pleased smile.

"Therefore, as stated by the agreement between the Scavenger King and the Second Prince, Raftel shall advocate for the recognition of Totto Ravine as an official country." Luffy cheered at that, causing other Mer in attendance to clap as well. It was about time for Katakuri and his people to get the resources and allies they so deserved. However, the young prince's excitement fell when he saw the resignation on his Father's face. "In addition, this incident has revealed my own weakness as King of Raftel."

Luffy's smile fell and he turned to Ace, sending him a concerned glance. His older brother frowned, tail flicking nervously.

"What are you saying, Your Majesty, yoi!?" Marco exclaimed, swimming forward, "No one could've predicted this would happen. You did well-"

"No, I spent the entire occupation _asleep."_ Dragon interrupted with a sigh, "My boys went through hell and I could do nothing. It is clear to me that my time as King…has ended."

Luffy's eyes widened and the entire room erupted in voices, all urging the black-tailed Mer to reconsider, even Katakuri. The cacophony was silenced by Dragon's hand, his expression serious.

"I have made my decision. Now…" Dragon held up the golden trident (that Ace had returned to him after his rescue), "My firstborn, come forward."

Ace swallowed hard but followed the command, swimming so he was floating just below the older Mer. He bowed his head when Dragon held the weapon over his head, causing a barely noticeable crown to appear in the water, framing Ace's raven locks.

"I hereby abdicate the throne to my son, Portgas D. Ace. He has more than proven himself as a leader."

"B-But I was a prisoner." Ace objected, voice breaking, "I…I _hurt_ Luffy."

"That was Teach, and you ended him." Dragon shot back, not moving the weapon, "You have also received the blessing of the royal trident, even without my intervention. Do not speak so poorly of yourself, my son. Even so many days ago, you were able to silence the court and allowed Katakuri to speak. You have the makings of a _King."_

Luffy helped Torao up into the water as Dragon removed the trident, causing the magical crown to glow even more before assimilating itself into Ace's body, giving it a golden glow. Then, he smiled, and held out the golden trident's handle, urging the younger Mer to take it. Eyes full of emotion, Ace reached out and took the weapon, the _symbol_ of his right to lead.

"Let it be known, that on this day, Raftel has a new King!"

The room erupted into cheers, even as Ace flew forward and hugged Dragon tightly. Luffy knew his brother would make a great king but worried his Father had been too hard on himself.

However, there was no going back once you abdicated.

It was then that something occurred to him. Hadn't Teach forced Ace to sign a-

Luffy glanced over to Marco, motioning with his eyes towards the document lying innocently on the floor. The Mer followed his gaze and nodded, stealthily weaving through the crowd and snatching it up. The albino watched with satisfaction as Ace's guard tore it into pieces so small, the words were unrecognizable.

No one needed to know…besides, Luffy had no intention of becoming King.

Being the Second Prince, or _First_ Prince, now, was hard enough. Grinning widely, Luffy gently dislodged himself from Torao and did a flip in the water, drawing everyone's attention.

"Let's have a party to celebrate!"

* * *

Law was exhausted. After the battle and everything that went with it, he just needed a break. So, after humoring Luffy for a few minutes at his impromptu 'party', he retired. Thankfully, the prince had Zoro show him to his room, which was in a nice, quiet part of the castle.

As he lay on Luffy's bed, he mused on how his life had gotten to this point. He supposed it had all started with his excursion on the beach, where he'd found a cursed merman in a tide pool.

Law smiled softly as he recalled all of their adventures. He'd been so determined to push people away, he hadn't realized how easily Luffy broke through his walls. Even on the surface, when his past and history with Doflamingo was revealed, the Mer prince hadn't even blinked.

No, he'd just claimed him as _his treasure,_ his precious companion.

Luffy was like a wave of love that never stopped. It washed over you no matter how much you tried to fight it, eventually plastering you to the warm sand. There was no avoiding it.

'I'll have to find a way to properly thank him before I leave…' Law mused, turning over onto his side. Of course, he would have to return to the surface soon. Now that everything was squared away with Teach and the sharks, he needed to go home and see how Cora and the others were fairing.

Shanks said they would handle it, but…

"Torao, are you awake?" A familiar voice chirped, giving him a two second warning before Luffy shot up into the room, riding on a bubble. Law huffed.

"Well, I am now. You're here earlier than I expected."

The Mer just shrugged and catapulted himself on top of Law, forcing the air from his lungs.

"Yeah, I just wanted to come be with you."

"Okay…" Law managed, barely able to react when Luffy rubbed their noses together and all but blanketed his body with his own. "But if you're going to be in here, we're going to _sleep._ I'm exhausted."

"Shishishi, I know." Luffy chuckled, collapsing off him so he could make himself comfortable with his head on Law's shoulder. The Mer exhaled slowly as he relaxed, intertwining their tails in a tangle of black and white. "Torao, are you…gonna leave?"

Law opened his eyes at the quiet, insecure question.

"You know I have to Luffy-ya…I can't stay here forever."

"…oh." Luffy whispered, disappointment clear in his voice. With a sigh, Law turned himself around so they were facing each other, both on their side.

"This isn't goodbye, Luffy-ya. It's…see you later. So long as we have _this_ -" Law drew Luffy's eyes to the abalone necklace, "-I'll be able to visit you, and you'll be able to come see me."

The Mer prince cupped the shell delicately, a pout still adorning his lips.

"I know…but-"

"It'll work out, okay?" Law interrupted, pressing a chaste kiss to Luffy's lips, "Nothing could possibly keep us apart."

Luffy smiled at the affection and nuzzled his face against Law's cheek.

"I love you, Torao." Law's heart skipped a beat.

"I love you too…Luffy-ya."

* * *

A few days later, it was time to leave Raftel. Law was swarmed by Mer, all wanting to thank him, which admittedly, was a bit uncomfortable. But, with Luffy by his side, he was able to get through it. Zoro, Sanji and the others decided to stay behind to help Ace rebuild. Though Teach was gone, the city was a bit of a mess and Ace would need a lot of support to build trust between the Scavengers and the other Mer countries.

Law had also gotten yet another 'talk' from Luffy's family, warning him of his impending death should anything happen to the albino…which was great. He _loved_ being threatened by terrifying Mer, especially when their version of his death ended with his limbs in their stomachs.

Luffy just laughed while Law's head was filled with horrifying pictures of being _eaten_ by the Mer's brother. Ace would do it, he knew he would.

When they reached the border of the city, Law was surprised to see the Scavenger King waiting for them.

"Your Majesty." Katakuri greeted, bowing to Luffy, "I wanted the chance to thank you before you returned to the surface world."

"Shishishi, no, I think I should be thanking _you_." The Mer replied, tail flicking bubbles towards the shark playfully, "Look after Ace and my Dad while I'm gone?"

"Of course, no one else will harm Raftel on my watch."

Law nodded to the Mer as they passed, following Luffy's lead. The young Mer really did have a way with people. Even the terrifying Scavengers had fallen victim to his charm.

The swim back to the surface wasn't terribly long and both of the young men enjoyed the leisurely journey. Law did his best to keep up while trying to take in the natural beauty of the ocean around him. Honestly, he wasn't sure when he'd get a chance to return…it all depended on Cora and how things ended up resolving. Hopefully they'd managed to locate Doflamingo and the man was gone for good.

"Torao? You okay?"

"Yeah…just thinking about Cora." Law admitted, grateful Luffy slowed his pace a little, "I mean, it feels like it's been forever since I've seen him." He pictured his adoptive father's injured form in his mind. Shanks had promised to look after him, but Law still worried.

Luffy didn't verbally respond but rubbed up against him in encouragement. That's right, he wasn't alone anymore. So, no matter what was waiting for them on the surface, he could handle it.

_Sentimental, aren't you._

Law scowled at Kikoku's unwanted comment. He'd been really tempted to leave the annoying sword behind, but he couldn't ignore the fact that it was powerful and had helped him protect Luffy. If only it would keep its opinions to itself.

"Come on, we're almost there."

* * *

Law gasped when he and Luffy finally emerged from the ocean. He was forced to turn his head away from the bright sunlight that was so muted underwater but quickly calmed his breathing so he could take in the familiar sight of the beach and the sound of birds. He'd missed it more than he'd thought.

Luffy flashed a grin and leapt back into the water, swimming up to the beach. Law followed him, beaching himself next to the albino. For a second, they laid in silence, just enjoying the warmth of the sand on the belly's.

That is, until the practical part of Law reminded him that they were very exposed and should probably not stay there for long.

"Let's see here…" He muttered to himself, placing Kikoku on the beach so he could gently remove the abalone necklace. The second it was gone, his body shuddered and his tail disappeared, leaving him naked as the day he was born.

"Here, let me have it!" Luffy chirped, snatching the charm from him and putting it around his own neck. A few seconds later, they were just two, soaking wet, completely naked humans lying on the beach. Not abnormal at all. "Yay, my legs are back!"

The prince laughed and stood up, legs shaking as he tried to get his balance back. Law stood to his feet as well and almost face-planted into the sand. It'd been so long…had he really forgotten how to _walk!?_

The two young men ended up clinging to each other for balance as they slowly made their way up the beach towards the road. Luffy even took a moment to wave to 'Fred' The sea cucumber, who was apparently a friend of his and lived in one of the tide pools…or something. Luffy had a lot of friends (many of whom were a bit strange). Law groaned as they approached the edge of town, wondering if they were going to have to walk to his apartment without any clothes. They'd probably end up arrested.

"Uh, Luffy-ya-"

"Hmmm?" The prince questioned, tilting his head cutely. Luffy was obviously completely fine going straight through downtown with his body on display, but Law most certain _was not._ Besides, the giant sword he carried was bound to earn them extra attention even if they weren't naked. "You want to go home right? Or…to the place where they're healing Mr. Cora?"

"I-I mean, yes, but-"

A whistle caused him to stop abruptly, face turning red. Oh no, someone had seen them.

"You boys look like you could use some clothes." Law looked up when he recognized the voice, relief hitting him like a truck. It was Bellemere, thank the Lord. She had a bag in her arms and a smirk on her face, "Welcome back."

Law gratefully took the clothes she offered him, not caring one bit that they belonged to Cora and were much too big for him. As long as he was covered…that was what mattered. Luffy giggled and twirled around in one of Cora's old t-shirts, the shirt engulfing the Mer's small frame like a dress.

"Shishishi, these are comfortable!"

"Thank you." Law said once they were both dressed, "Were you…looking for us?"

"We've been patrolling the beach as much as we could since we didn't know when you'd be back." Bellemere explained, lighting a cigarette, "Figured you wouldn't want to be seen in your birthday suit."

Wasn't that the truth.

"Um…how's Cora?" Bellemere smiled around his smoke.

"That idiot? He's getting better every day." Law exhaled sharply at that, glad to hear his Dad was recovering from his grievous injuries, "He's actually at your place right now. Come on, we have a lot to talk about."

Law and Luffy held hands as they walked back to his apartment. The city was calm and _normal_ , which was a surprise. After everything that happened, he'd expected an influx of government agents or something. When they reached his apartment, Law took the steps two at a time and flung the door open, bringing a surprised yelp from Cora, who was in the living room.

"L-Law…? You're back!"

He smiled and rushed up to his adoptive father, hugging him tightly. Cora seemed taken aback by the sudden contact, but returned his hug nonetheless.

"How was the ocean? I want _details."_

"We kicked butt!" Luffy explained, trotting into the room, "Torao was so awesome!"

While Luffy regaled Cora with stories of Raftel, magic swords, and sharks, Law took Bellemere aside, concerned with the many bandages that adorned his father's body and the cane that lay innocently on the couch beside him.

"Bellemere-ya…how is he, really?" The detective sighed.

"Honestly, it's a miracle he survived at all…I didn't lie though, he is slowly seeing improvement, but the cane will be around for a while." Law hummed and looked back into the living room. Luffy was acting out something and Cora had yet to move from his spot. "Go on, spend some time with him. I know you've both missed each other. I'll call Shanks and let him know you two are back."

The next ten minutes were spent storytelling, Law changing clothes (into some that actually fit him), and listening to Cora gush over how 'awesome' and 'gorgeous' his Mer tail was. Law was not surprised to see the man had made the picture of him and Luffy in their Mer forms his phone background.

"Aren't you worried people will ask questions?"

"Not at all! I'll just say it was photoshopped! Or-or that you're a professional Mermaid or something."

Law supposed that made sense, but still felt a bit…wary. Especially since the whole 'the government is after Merfolk' thing turned out to be a very real threat.

"Anchor!?" Shanks all but yelled when he entered the apartment, startling Law and prompting Luffy to throw himself at the older Mer, latching on to him like a monkey.

"Shanks, we saved Raftel! Are you proud of me?"

"Very." The red-haired Mer whispered, stepping inside the apartment and making way for a whole group of people. Law huffed and waved at the Mermaid Club, glad to see they were doing okay (but a bit annoyed his apartment was, yet again, becoming a meeting place). Shanks walked over to the couch, Luffy still attached to his front and smiled at Law. "Glad to see you made it. I guess this means Teach is gone for good, huh?"

"Yeah, he's very dead." Law informed him, making Cora gasp.

"D-D-Dead…Law, you didn't-"

"Ace-ya, Luffy's brother, killed him." He quickly put in, not wanting to worry his father, "But seriously, it was a _battle,_ what were expecting me to do?" Before Cora could burst into another one of his lectures, Shanks put Luffy down and cleared his throat.

"Anyway, I'm sure you two are curious how things have been up here. Well, let me tell you…"

Apparently, in the aftermath of the fight at the lab, the government swooped in and completely expunged the incident. All personnel involved with the DSDR were 'erased', their profiles gone. Shanks and the others hadn't had to work very hard to cover it all up because of how serious the government was with making it seem like it had never happened.

"Wait…by 'erased', you don't mean-"

"Don't worry, they weren't killed, just re-assigned." Bellemere put in, alleviating his fear, "Though, I'm pretty sure they got the same talk I did, which basically said 'you tell anyone about this, and we will bury you six feet under'."

"What about Coby?" Luffy asked from where he sat on the floor, grasping his ankles.

"He lost his internship, obviously, but still works for me." Bellemere said with a wink, "Nami keeps him on his toes."

"So…they aren't hunting Mer anymore?"

"Not at the moment, no." Shanks continued, "I think they were more embarrassed than anything at how easily their 'secret' operation was exposed. It'll be awhile before they rebuild and try again." Law released a sigh of relief. That was good, at least.

Shanks also explained how he and Crocodile had come to an agreement, or truce, of sorts. Since Shanks had helped him 'get rid' of the annoying government agency breathing down his neck, the other Mer had agreed to stay out of their business for the foreseeable future. Which meant that Law wouldn't have to worry about any more daytime kidnappings.

"…and Doflamingo?" Law asked firmly, quieting the room. Bellemere took a drag before replying.

"We got him, Law."

"…okay. What does that mean?"

"Not long after you left, Belle, Smoker, and I chased him down." Cora explained, frowning slightly, "His subordinates tried to stop us, but we were able to arrest him. He's awaiting trail right now." Law's eyes widened at that. His uncle…was going to go to jail?

"Wow, t-that's great."

"It's not over yet." Cora continued, clenching his fists tightly, "The only reason we were able to arrest him was because he let us. That much was clear. But I think if we can get a good lawyer and…er… _first-hand testimony,_ we can put him away for good." Law ruminated on that statement for a few seconds before it dawned on him what they were insinuating.

"Wait, you want _me_ to testify against Doflamingo in court!? Are you out of your mind!"

"I'll be doing it too, Law." Cora soothed, reaching out to hold his shoulder gently, "This is the only way to be rid of him forever. Think about it, if he's gone, you can finally live your life…and Luffy won't be in danger anymore.

It was dirty of Cora to bring Luffy into it, but Law knew he was right. So long as Doflamingo knew the Mer prince existed, he wouldn't stop hunting him.

"All right…I'll do it."

The room erupted into cheers and Luffy glomped him, nuzzling his cheek against Law's neck happily. Law smiled and re-adjusted the squirmy Mer on his lap so he could take a cup of alcohol from Bellemere.

"Come on, let's celebrate!"

* * *

That evening, just as the sun was setting, Law found himself back on the beach with Luffy at his side. The party had been long, but fun, with Cavendish ending up drunk in the corner and Bonney eating them out of house and home. Still, it was good to see everything back to normal and Goa at peace.

Unfortunately, that meant it was time for Luffy to return to the ocean.

"I had fun today, Torao." The Mer murmured into his chest, his cheek still plastered to Law's chest like it had been for the past hour. Luffy did _not_ want to let go.

"I did too." Law replied, gently prying the affectionate teen off him. Luffy looked sad, which broke his heart. "Listen, you keep the necklace, okay? That way, you can come visit whenever you want."

"Really!? And I can come…like, all the time?"

"Uh, sure." Law replied, inwardly hoping he didn't regret that, "I'll be here waiting."

Luffy gave him one of his signature grins and reached up to cup his face. Law snickered when the Mer stood on his tippy-toes and rubbed their noses together. His little Mer-ya was so cute.

"See you later, Luffy-ya."

"Mn." The Mer replied before stepping back and stripping off all of his barrowed clothes, "Maybe next time, I'll bring Ace!" Law shuddered at the thought.

"I'm sure he's busy with his new duties and stuff…"

"Nah, I know he'd love to come!"

Law sighed but then had the breath knocked out of him by yet another flying Luffy hug. The Mer snuggled down into his neck and preened when a kiss was placed on both his cheeks.

"I'll come back as soon as I can."

"Yeah, see you then."

With that, Luffy finally detached and stepped into the water, carefully removing the necklace. Law watched with a fond smile as the Mer returned to the ocean, making a few unnecessary leaps to wave at him. He would miss the teen's cheery disposition and company, but something told him Luffy would be back sooner rather than later.

And Law couldn't wait to see him again.


	20. Chapter 20

One year after Law met Luffy, his life looked completely different than he'd expected. For starters, his parole was up so he didn't have to meet with Smoker anymore. In addition, he'd managed to land a job at a local clinic right on the boardwalk. His supervisor, an elderly woman who liked to go by 'Doctorine' for some reason, didn't seem to care about his criminal record and hired him as one of her doctors.

This, thankfully, meant his time working for Bellemere was over. Not that he wasn't grateful for the opportunity, but he finally got to do what he loved.

Law had also made friends with three of the nurses at the clinic: Bepo, Shachi, and Penguin, which prompted Cora to throw a very embarrassing 'friend' party in their honor. He supposed it was rare for him to _like_ people, but…yeah, Shachi had promised to never let him live that down.

He attributed his more relaxed attitude to a few different things, the first being that Doflamingo was out of his life forever. Law and Cora had testified at his hearing, painting a story of psychosis, manipulation, and violence. Now his Uncle would spend the rest of his life behind bars…at least, that was the hope.

Throughout everything, Doflamingo hadn't fought back as hard as Law assumed he would.

Like…he _wanted_ to go to prison.

'No, I'm not going to think about that.' He thought, gritting his teeth. All that mattered was that he was gone, end of story.

The second thing that gave him great happiness was Luffy, his sweet little boyfriend. The Mer came to visit him multiple times a week and they'd made it official the day he turned eighteen (much to Ace's chagrin).

"Oi, Law!" Doctorine called, sticking her head in his office, "Your very destructive and annoying boyfriend is here. Anything he breaks, I'm taking out of your paycheck."

Law sighed, closing his laptop.

"I'll be right out."

The tattooed male hung up his lab coat and straightened his collar. Luffy always brought chaos wherever he went. The second Law stepped into the lobby, the Mer was on him, practically begging for attention.

"Torao, I missed you! Can we go get food now?"

"Not yet, Lu-ya. Don't you remember what day it is today?" Law kissed Luffy lightly on the forehead and held him by the shoulders while the younger man thought hard about the occasion, face turning slightly red from the effort. "It's Cora and Bellemere's wedding."

"Oh, right! There's gonna be food there, I think. Shanks told me so."

Law huffed, amused that food was still at the forefront of his mind, even at a wedding.

"Let's go back to my apartment, we have to get changed and then meet them at the venue."

Once they returned to his home, Law changed into his suit (and helped Luffy into his). During the process, the Mer prince babbled about how things were going under the ocean. As expected, Ace had made a great King, bringing change to the Kingdom. The nobles no longer had as much power and the Scavengers were one of their greatest allies.

Dragon was still around, acting as advisor to the King. Apparently he spent most of his time, traveling the ocean as a delegate, working on Ace's behalf. Needless to say, life under the ocean was just as peaceful as on the surface thanks to his and Luffy's hard work.

Law glanced to the corner of the room where Kikoku rested. At Cora's recommendation, he'd taken up kendo in an attempt to improve his swordplay. On top of the Mermaid Club meetings and his job, he now had a pleasantly busy schedule.

Though, he always made time for Luffy.

"Eh…but it's uncomfortable…" The Mer whined, poking at the tie Law had forced on him.

"It's just for a few hours, then you can take it off, okay?"

Luffy, in his new position as First Prince, also did a fair bit of traveling with Zoro, Sanji, and Usopp as his companions. He always returned after long trips with stories that only served to raise Law's blood pressure, but he wouldn't ever tell Luffy to stop. Adventure was in his blood and made him happy.

It would be wrong of him to deprive such a free soul of that.

"Come on, we don't want to be late."

Bellemere had chosen to get married right on the docks with a fairly small group of people. Nojiko was her Maid of Honor and Nami a bridesmaid. Law, meanwhile, was Cora's Best Man and Smoker (much to everyone's surprise) was a groomsman. The two had grown close during Law's parole…which was kind of weird but whatever.

Cora was just a lot friendlier than Law was.

"I'm gonna go sit with Shanks." Luffy whispered, kissing him on the cheek, "See you later?"

"Yeah." Law answered, watching as the Mer skipped over to where Shanks, Makino, and their little girl, Marina, were sitting. The baby wasn't even one yet but had already stolen the hearts of the entire Mermaid Club and pretty much anyone who laid eyes on her. Law just knew Marina would have bright, red hair, just like her father.

When the music started, Law moved to stand next to Cora, who was shuffling anxiously in his suit.

"Nervous?" He teased, nudging him lightly. Cora smiled and shifted his weight, using the cane to keep himself steady.

"Just a little. How do I look? Is my hair okay?"

"You look great, stop messing with it." Law chided, prompting Cora to lower his hand. Luffy waved at him from his seat, holding a swaddled baby Marina gently in his other arm.

A few minutes later, Bellemere walked down the aisle, dressed in a simple but elegant gown that really accentuated her muscular, yet feminine figure. She'd chosen not to be escorted, which was unsurprising. Law chuckled when Cora's jaw dropped, his eyes widening to the size of dinner plates.

"Oh. My. Lord. _Law_. I'm marrying a goddess."

"Pull yourself together, man." Smoker chided from beside Law, "If you pass out, I'm not catching you."

Thankfully, Cora did not pass out and accepted Bellemere's hand gently, helping her up onto the stage so the ceremony could begin. As Law listened to the officiant talk, he couldn't help but become emotional. His father deserved to be happy.

"I now pronounce you, husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Cora swallowed hard and turned to Bellemere who wasted no time dramatically throwing her bouquet behind her and _dipping_ her husband. Law laughed and clapped when they kissed, Cora's legs twitching under the assault of his now wife. They were perfect for each other.

The reception was held at a private beach, right next to the ocean. The happy couple made their entrance and the party began. Law, unfortunately, was dragged out onto the dance floor by Luffy more than once, but he obliged him, if only because his pout was adorable and difficult to refuse.

Law did end up giving a speech, though it was short. He wasn't really one for public speaking, but it was apparently not too terrible because Cora wouldn't stop crying afterwards.

When the sun disappeared beyond the horizon and the moon took its place, Law found himself alone with Luffy on a rocky outcrop away from the rest of the party. The Mer was content and sated, having stuffed himself with more fish than a single person should be capable of consuming.

"Ne, Torao, let's go for a swim." The Mer suggested with a playful smirk, tapping the necklace around his neck.

"Lu-ya, I'm in my suit, at least let me-" Luffy didn't let him finish and pushed him into the water, laughing loudly. Law surfaced and scowled up at his boyfriend who was loosening his tie.

"You're a menace, you know that, right?"

"Yep, you tell me all the time." Law grunted when Luffy joined him in the water, barely managing to catch the Mer. After an arduous few minutes of getting his clothes off and placed on the shore, the necklace was passed to Law. When he placed it around his neck and his tail appeared, he inhaled sharply, feeling one with the ocean as he always did when he swam with Luffy.

The two dove into the water, not going too deep so that the beams of moonlight still reflected off their scales. Luffy smiled as he flitted around Law, teasing him with his tail. Not wanting to be outdone, he swam around the other, creating a spiral of bubbles.

When the bubbles dissipated, Law reached out and grabbed Luffy's hands, pulling him just close enough for their noses to touch.

"Have I told you how amazing you are recently?"

"You could stand to mention it more." Luffy muttered with a chuckle as he wrapped his tail around his. Law grinned and pulled the other into a kiss, this one slightly longer and more passionate than their usual interactions. Thankfully, Luffy managed to avoid biting him, which allowed them to simply bask in each other's presence, lips moving gently.

When the kiss ended, Luffy wrapped his arms around Law's shoulders and hugged him like he was the most precious thing in the world. So surprised at the sudden action, he didn't do anything for a few seconds.

"Hug me, damn it."

"All right, all right." Law replied in a low voice, wrapping his arms around the other's lower back, "Like I said… a menace."

"Yeah, but you still love me."

"Oh, definitely." Luffy blushed slightly at the compliment, prompting Law to lean in and place a kiss on his brow, "And no matter what happens, I'll always be here for you."

_Always._

"Me too." The Prince shot back, not wanting to be outdone, "You're my treasure, so I gotta be close to you."

"Well, if I'm your treasure, then you're mine."

Luffy giggled at that before flicking his tail and sending his body a few feet away. He raised his hand to Law, which the human took without any hesitation.

"Come on...let's swim."

**THE END**


End file.
